Inference of nooutputofpriorpicsflag in video coding

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for coding video information according to certain aspects includes a processor configured to determine a value of a flag associated with a current picture of a current layer to be decoded, the flag indicating whether pictures in a decoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output, wherein the current picture is an intra random access point (TRAP) picture that starts a new coded video sequence (CVS) and wherein the determination of the value of the flag is based on at least one of: (1) the chroma format of the current picture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) the bit depth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth of the chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/923,530, filed Jan. 3, 2014, which is incorporated by reference inits entirety. Any and all applications for which a foreign or domesticpriority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed withthe present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37CFR 1.57.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of video coding and compression,including both single-layer video coding and multi-layer video coding.Multi-layer video coding can include scalable video coding (SVC),multiview video coding (MVC), 3D video coding (3DV), etc.

BACKGROUND

Digital video capabilities can be incorporated into a wide range ofdevices, including digital televisions, digital direct broadcastsystems, wireless broadcast systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs),laptop or desktop computers, digital cameras, digital recording devices,digital media players, video gaming devices, video game consoles,cellular or satellite radio telephones, video teleconferencing devices,and the like. Digital video devices implement video compressiontechniques, such as those described in the standards defined by MPEG-2,MPEG-4, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264/MPEG-4, Part 10, Advanced Video Coding(AVC), the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, and extensionsof such standards. The video devices may transmit, receive, encode,decode, and/or store digital video information more efficiently byimplementing such video coding techniques.

Video compression techniques perform spatial (intra-picture) predictionand/or temporal (inter-picture) prediction to reduce or removeredundancy inherent in video sequences. For block-based video coding, avideo slice (e.g., a video frame, a portion of a video frame, etc.) maybe partitioned into video blocks, which may also be referred to astreeblocks, coding units (CUs) and/or coding nodes. Video blocks in anintra-coded (I) slice of a picture are encoded using spatial predictionwith respect to reference samples in neighboring blocks in the samepicture. Video blocks in an inter-coded (P or B) slice of a picture mayuse spatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboringblocks in the same picture or temporal prediction with respect toreference samples in other reference pictures. Pictures may be referredto as frames, and reference pictures may be referred to as referenceframes.

Spatial or temporal prediction results in a predictive block for a blockto be coded. Residual data represents pixel differences between theoriginal block to be coded and the predictive block. An inter-codedblock is encoded according to a motion vector that points to a block ofreference samples forming the predictive block, and the residual dataindicating the difference between the coded block and the predictiveblock. An intra-coded block is encoded according to an intra-coding modeand the residual data. For further compression, the residual data may betransformed from the pixel domain to a transform domain, resulting inresidual transform coefficients, which then may be quantized. Thequantized transform coefficients, initially arranged in atwo-dimensional array, may be scanned in order to produce aone-dimensional vector of transform coefficients, and entropy encodingmay be applied to achieve even more compression.

SUMMARY

Scalable video coding (SVC) refers to video coding in which a base layer(BL), sometimes referred to as a reference layer (RL), and one or morescalable enhancement layers (ELs) are used. In SVC, the base layer cancarry video data with a base level of quality. The one or moreenhancement layers can carry additional video data to support, forexample, higher spatial, temporal, and/or signal-to-noise (SNR) levels.Enhancement layers may be defined relative to a previously encodedlayer. For example, a bottom layer may serve as a BL, while a top layermay serve as an EL. Middle layers may serve as either ELs or RLs, orboth. For example, a middle layer (e.g., a layer that is neither thelowest layer nor the highest layer) may be an EL for the layers belowthe middle layer, such as the base layer or any intervening enhancementlayers, and at the same time serve as a RL for one or more enhancementlayers above the middle layer. Similarly, in the Multiview or 3Dextension of the HEVC standard, there may be multiple views, andinformation of one view may be utilized to code (e.g., encode or decode)the information of another view (e.g., motion estimation, motion vectorprediction and/or other redundancies).

An apparatus for coding video information according to certain aspectsincludes a memory and a processor. The memory unit is configured tostore video information associated with a current layer. The processoris configured to: obtain at least one of a chroma format of a currentpicture of the current layer to be decoded, a bit depth of luma samplesof the current picture, or a bit depth of chroma samples of the currentpicture, wherein the current picture is an intra random access point(TRAP) picture that starts a new coded video sequence (CVS); obtain atleast one of a chroma format of a preceding picture of the current layerthat was decoded, a bit depth of luma samples of the preceding picture,or a bit depth of chroma samples of the preceding picture; and determinea value of a first flag associated with the current picture, the firstflag indicating whether pictures in a decoded picture buffer (DPB)should be output, wherein the determination of the value of the firstflag is based on at least one of: (1) the chroma format of the currentpicture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) the bitdepth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth ofthe luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth of thechroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chromasamples of the preceding picture.

The systems, methods and devices of this disclosure each have severalinnovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for thedesirable attributes disclosed herein. The details of one or moreexamples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the descriptionbelow, which are not intended to limit the full scope of the inventiveconcepts described herein. Other features, objects, and advantages willbe apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoding anddecoding system that may utilize techniques in accordance with aspectsdescribed in this disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating another example video encodingand decoding system that may perform techniques in accordance withaspects described in this disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a video encoderthat may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a video encoderthat may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a video decoderthat may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a video decoderthat may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration ofpictures in different layers, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of coding video information,according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, this disclosure relates to single layer coding as well asinter-layer prediction for scalable video coding in the context ofadvanced video codecs, such as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding). Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods forimproved performance of inter-layer prediction in scalable video codingextension of HEVC, which may be referred to as SHVC.

In the description below, H.264/Advanced Video Coding (AVC) techniquesrelated to certain embodiments are described; the HEVC standard andrelated techniques are also discussed. While certain embodiments aredescribed herein in the context of the HEVC and/or H.264 standards, onehaving ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that systems and methodsdisclosed herein may be applicable to any suitable video codingstandard. For example, embodiments disclosed herein may be applicable toone or more of the following standards: International TelecommunicationUnion (ITU) Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) H.261,International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and theInternational Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) (ISO/IEC) Moving PictureExperts Group (MPEG) 1 (MPEG-1) Visual, ITU-T H.262 or ISO/IEC MPEG-2Visual, ITU-T H.263, ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Visual and ITU-T H.264 (also knownas ISO/IEC MPEG-4 AVC), including its Scalable Video Coding (SVC) andMultiview Video Coding (MVC) extensions.

HEVC generally follows the framework of previous video coding standardsin many respects. The unit of prediction in HEVC is different from theunits of prediction (e.g., macroblock) in certain previous video codingstandards. In fact, the concept of a macroblock does not exist in HEVCas understood in certain previous video coding standards. A macroblockis replaced by a hierarchical structure based on a quadtree scheme,which may provide high flexibility, among other possible benefits. Forexample, within the HEVC scheme, three types of blocks, Coding Unit(CU), Prediction Unit (PU), and Transform Unit (TU), are defined. CU mayrefer to the basic unit of region splitting. CU may be consideredanalogous to the concept of macroblock, but HEVC does not restrict themaximum size of CUs and may allow recursive splitting into four equalsize CUs to improve the content adaptivity. PU may be considered thebasic unit of inter/intra prediction, and a single PU may containmultiple arbitrary shape partitions to effectively code irregular imagepatterns. TU may be considered the basic unit of transform. TU can bedefined independently from the PU; however, the size of a TU may belimited to the size of the CU to which the TU belongs. This separationof the block structure into three different concepts may allow each unitto be optimized according to the respective role of the unit, which mayresult in improved coding efficiency.

For purposes of illustration only, certain embodiments disclosed hereinare described with examples including only two layers (e.g., a lowerlayer such as the base layer, and a higher layer such as the enhancementlayer) of video data. A “layer” of video data may generally refer to asequence of pictures having at least one common characteristic, such asa view, a frame rate, a resolution, or the like. For example, a layermay include video data associated with a particular view (e.g.,perspective) of multi-view video data. As another example, a layer mayinclude video data associated with a particular layer of scalable videodata. Thus, this disclosure may interchangeably refer to a layer and aview of video data. That is, a view of video data may be referred to asa layer of video data, and a layer of video data may be referred to as aview of video data. In addition, a multi-layer codec (also referred toas a multi-layer video coder or multi-layer encoder-decoder) may jointlyrefer to a multiview codec or a scalable codec (e.g., a codec configuredto encode and/or decode video data using MV-HEVC, 3D-HEVC, SHVC, oranother multi-layer coding technique). Video encoding and video decodingmay both generally be referred to as video coding. It should beunderstood that such examples may be applicable to configurationsincluding multiple base and/or enhancement layers. In addition, for easeof explanation, the following disclosure includes the terms “frames” or“blocks” with reference to certain embodiments. However, these terms arenot meant to be limiting. For example, the techniques described belowcan be used with any suitable video units, such as blocks (e.g., CU, PU,TU, macroblocks, etc.), slices, frames, etc.

Video Coding Standards

A digital image, such as a video image, a TV image, a still image or animage generated by a video recorder or a computer, may consist of pixelsor samples arranged in horizontal and vertical lines. The number ofpixels in a single image is typically in the tens of thousands. Eachpixel typically contains luminance and chrominance information. Withoutcompression, the sheer quantity of information to be conveyed from animage encoder to an image decoder would render real-time imagetransmission impossible. To reduce the amount of information to betransmitted, a number of different compression methods, such as JPEG,MPEG and H.263 standards, have been developed.

Video coding standards include ITU-T H.261, ISO/IEC MPEG-1 Visual, ITU-TH.262 or ISO/IEC MPEG-2 Visual, ITU-T H.263, ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Visual andITU-T H.264 (also known as ISO/IEC MPEG-4 AVC), including its SVC andMVC extensions.

In addition, a new video coding standard, namely High Efficiency VideoCoding (HEVC), is being developed by the Joint Collaboration Team onVideo Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) andISO/IEC Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG). The full citation for theHEVC Draft 10 is document JCTVC-L1003, Bross et al., “High EfficiencyVideo Coding (HEVC) Text Specification Draft 10,” Joint CollaborativeTeam on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG16 WP3 and ISO/IECJTC1/SC29/WG11, 12th Meeting: Geneva, Switzerland, Jan. 14, 2013 to Jan.23, 2013. The multiview extension to HEVC, namely MV-HEVC, and thescalable extension to HEVC, named SHVC, are also being developed by theJCT-3V (ITU-T/ISO/IEC Joint Collaborative Team on 3D Video CodingExtension Development) and JCT-VC, respectively.

Overview

Intra random access point (IRAP) pictures can provide random accesspoints for decoding a bitstream. A decoder may start decoding abitstream by decoding an IRAP picture without having to decode picturesthat precede the TRAP picture. At the time of decoding an IRAP picture,the decoded picture buffer (DPB) may have a number of decoded picturesin the buffer. If outputting the existing pictures in the DPB wouldaffect the performance of the decoder (e.g., too many pictures exist inthe DPB for the decoder to output), it may be desirable to remove suchexisting pictures without outputting them (e.g., flush the existingpictures).

The variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can indicate, when decoding an IRAPpicture, whether pictures in the DPB should be output prior to beingremoved from the DPB. For example, when decoding an IRAP picture, thevalue of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can be set to 1 when the pictures inthe DPB should not be output before being removed. The value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may be determined based on a correspondingsyntax element and/or various conditions and information. In earlyversions of HEVC, SHVC, and MV-HEVC (e.g., SHVC Working Draft 4 andMV-HEVC Working Draft 6), NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may be set equal to 1when the spatial resolution or the number of picture stores changes. Bysetting NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1, the decoder can control the amountof memory available in the DPB by removing pictures in the DPB asappropriate. However, the amount of memory needed in the DPB may also beaffected by changes in the color format and/or the bit depth ofpictures.

In order to address these and other challenges, the techniques accordingto certain aspects can take into consideration the color format and/orthe bit depth of pictures when determining the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag for IRAP pictures. For example, the techniquesmay determine whether the color format and/or the bit depth of thecurrent picture in the current layer to be decoded are different fromthe color format and/or the bit depth of the preceding picture in thecurrent layer. The color format and/or the bit depth of the currentpicture and the preceding picture may be obtained from the currentlyactive sequence parameter set (SPS) and the SPS that was active when thepreceding picture was decoded, respectively. If there are changes in thecolor format or the bit depth, the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag maybe set equal to 1 to trigger removal of pictures in the DPB withoutoutputting the pictures.

By taking into account changes in the color format and/or the bit depthof pictures, the techniques can determine the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag more accurately. For example, the techniques canbetter anticipate situations that would require additional memory in thebuffer.

Video Coding System

Various aspects of the novel systems, apparatuses, and methods aredescribed more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to any specific structureor function presented throughout this disclosure. Rather, these aspectsare provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, andwill fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. Based on the teachings herein one skilled in the art shouldappreciate that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover anyaspect of the novel systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein,whether implemented independently of, or combined with, any other aspectof the present disclosure. For example, an apparatus may be implementedor a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forthherein. In addition, the scope of the present disclosure is intended tocover such an apparatus or method which is practiced using otherstructure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition toor other than the various aspects of the present disclosure set forthherein. It should be understood that any aspect disclosed herein may beembodied by one or more elements of a claim.

Although particular aspects are described herein, many variations andpermutations of these aspects fall within the scope of the disclosure.Although some benefits and advantages of the preferred aspects arementioned, the scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited toparticular benefits, uses, or objectives. Rather, aspects of thedisclosure are intended to be broadly applicable to different wirelesstechnologies, system configurations, networks, and transmissionprotocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in thefigures and in the following description of the preferred aspects. Thedetailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of thedisclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the disclosure beingdefined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

The attached drawings illustrate examples. Elements indicated byreference numbers in the attached drawings correspond to elementsindicated by like reference numbers in the following description. Inthis disclosure, elements having names that start with ordinal words(e.g., “first,” “second,” “third,” and so on) do not necessarily implythat the elements have a particular order. Rather, such ordinal wordsare merely used to refer to different elements of a same or similartype.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram that illustrates an example video codingsystem 10 that may utilize techniques in accordance with aspectsdescribed in this disclosure. As used described herein, the term “videocoder” refers generically to both video encoders and video decoders. Inthis disclosure, the terms “video coding” or “coding” may refergenerically to video encoding and video decoding. In addition to videoencoders and video decoders, the aspects described in the presentapplication may be extended to other related devices such as transcoders(e.g., devices that can decode a bitstream and re-encode anotherbitstream) and middleboxes (e.g., devices that can modify, transform,and/or otherwise manipulate a bitstream).

As shown in FIG. 1A, video coding system 10 includes a source device 12that generates encoded video data to be decoded at a later time by adestination device 14. In the example of FIG. 1A, the source device 12and destination device 14 constitute separate devices. It is noted,however, that the source and destination devices 12, 14 may be on orpart of the same device, as shown in the example of FIG. 1B.

With reference once again, to FIG. 1A, the source device 12 and thedestination device 14 may respectively comprise any of a wide range ofdevices, including desktop computers, notebook (e.g., laptop) computers,tablet computers, set-top boxes, telephone handsets such as so-called“smart” phones, so-called “smart” pads, televisions, cameras, displaydevices, digital media players, video gaming consoles, video streamingdevice, or the like. In some cases, the source device 12 and thedestination device 14 may be equipped for wireless communication.

The destination device 14 may receive, via link 16, the encoded videodata to be decoded. The link 16 may comprise any type of medium ordevice capable of moving the encoded video data from the source device12 to the destination device 14. In the example of FIG. 1A, the link 16may comprise a communication medium to enable the source device 12 totransmit encoded video data to the destination device 14 in real-time.The encoded video data may be modulated according to a communicationstandard, such as a wireless communication protocol, and transmitted tothe destination device 14. The communication medium may comprise anywireless or wired communication medium, such as a radio frequency (RF)spectrum or one or more physical transmission lines. The communicationmedium may form part of a packet-based network, such as a local areanetwork, a wide-area network, or a global network such as the Internet.The communication medium may include routers, switches, base stations,or any other equipment that may be useful to facilitate communicationfrom the source device 12 to the destination device 14.

Alternatively, encoded data may be output from an output interface 22 toan optional storage device 31. Similarly, encoded data may be accessedfrom the storage device 31 by an input interface 28, for example, of thedestination device 14. The storage device 31 may include any of avariety of distributed or locally accessed data storage media such as ahard drive, flash memory, volatile or non-volatile memory, or any othersuitable digital storage media for storing encoded video data. In afurther example, the storage device 31 may correspond to a file serveror another intermediate storage device that may hold the encoded videogenerated by the source device 12. The destination device 14 may accessstored video data from the storage device 31 via streaming or download.The file server may be any type of server capable of storing encodedvideo data and transmitting that encoded video data to the destinationdevice 14. Example file servers include a web server (e.g., for awebsite), a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, network attachedstorage (NAS) devices, or a local disk drive. The destination device 14may access the encoded video data through any standard data connection,including an Internet connection. This may include a wireless channel(e.g., a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection), a wiredconnection (e.g., a digital subscriber line (DSL), a cable modem, etc.),or a combination of both that is suitable for accessing encoded videodata stored on a file server. The transmission of encoded video datafrom the storage device 31 may be a streaming transmission, a downloadtransmission, or a combination of both.

The techniques of this disclosure are not limited to wirelessapplications or settings. The techniques may be applied to video codingin support of any of a variety of multimedia applications, such asover-the-air television broadcasts, cable television transmissions,satellite television transmissions, streaming video transmissions, e.g.,via the Internet (e.g., dynamic adaptive streaming over HypertextTransfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.), encoding of digital video for storageon a data storage medium, decoding of digital video stored on a datastorage medium, or other applications. In some examples, video codingsystem 10 may be configured to support one-way or two-way videotransmission to support applications such as video streaming, videoplayback, video broadcasting, and/or video telephony.

In the example of FIG. 1A, the source device 12 includes a video source18, a video encoder 20 and the output interface 22. In some cases, theoutput interface 22 may include a modulator/demodulator (modem) and/or atransmitter. In the source device 12, the video source 18 may include asource such as a video capture device, e.g., a video camera, a videoarchive containing previously captured video, a video feed interface toreceive video from a video content provider, and/or a computer graphicssystem for generating computer graphics data as the source video, or acombination of such sources. As one example, if the video source 18 is avideo camera, the source device 12 and the destination device 14 mayform so-called “camera phones” or “video phones,” as illustrated in theexample of FIG. 1B. However, the techniques described in this disclosuremay be applicable to video coding in general, and may be applied towireless and/or wired applications.

The captured, pre-captured, or computer-generated video may be encodedby the video encoder 20. The encoded video data may be transmitted tothe destination device 14 via the output interface 22 of the sourcedevice 12. The encoded video data may also (or alternatively) be storedonto the storage device 31 for later access by the destination device 14or other devices, for decoding and/or playback. The video encoder 20illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B may comprise the video encoder 20illustrated FIG. 2A, the video encoder 23 illustrated in FIG. 2B, or anyother video encoder described herein.

In the example of FIG. 1A, the destination device 14 includes an inputinterface 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32. In somecases, the input interface 28 may include a receiver and/or a modem. Theinput interface 28 of the destination device 14 may receive the encodedvideo data over the link 16 and/or from the storage device 31. Theencoded video data communicated over the link 16, or provided on thestorage device 31, may include a variety of syntax elements generated bythe video encoder 20 for use by a video decoder, such as the videodecoder 30, in decoding the video data. Such syntax elements may beincluded with the encoded video data transmitted on a communicationmedium, stored on a storage medium, or stored a file server. The videodecoder 30 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B may comprise the video decoder30 illustrated FIG. 3A, the video decoder 33 illustrated in FIG. 3B, orany other video decoder described herein.

The display device 32 may be integrated with, or external to, thedestination device 14. In some examples, the destination device 14 mayinclude an integrated display device and also be configured to interfacewith an external display device. In other examples, the destinationdevice 14 may be a display device. In general, the display device 32displays the decoded video data to a user, and may comprise any of avariety of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), aplasma display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, oranother type of display device.

In related aspects, FIG. 1B shows an example video encoding and decodingsystem 10′ wherein the source and destination devices 12, 14 are on orpart of a device 11. The device 11 may be a telephone handset, such as a“smart” phone or the like. The device 11 may include an optionalcontroller/processor device 13 in operative communication with thesource and destination devices 12, 14. The system 10′ of FIG. 1B mayfurther include a video processing unit 21 between the video encoder 20and the output interface 22. In some implementations, the videoprocessing unit 21 is a separate unit, as illustrated in FIG. 1B;however, in other implementations, the video processing unit 21 can beimplemented as a portion of the video encoder 20 and/or theprocessor/controller device 13. The system 10′ may also include anoptional tracker 29, which can track an object of interest in a videosequence. The object or interest to be tracked may be segmented by atechnique described in connection with one or more aspects of thepresent disclosure. In related aspects, the tracking may be performed bythe display device 32, alone or in conjunction with the tracker 29. Thesystem 10′ of FIG. 1B, and components thereof, are otherwise similar tothe system 10 of FIG. 1A, and components thereof.

The video encoder 20 and the video decoder 30 may operate according to avideo compression standard, such as the HEVC, and may conform to a HEVCTest Model (HM). Alternatively, the video encoder 20 and video decoder30 may operate according to other proprietary or industry standards,such as the ITU-T H.264 standard, alternatively referred to as MPEG-4,Part 10, AVC, or extensions of such standards. The techniques of thisdisclosure, however, are not limited to any particular coding standard.Other examples of video compression standards include MPEG-2 and ITU-TH.263.

Although not shown in the examples of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the video encoder20 and the video decoder 30 may each be integrated with an audio encoderand decoder, and may include appropriate MUX-DEMUX units, or otherhardware and software, to handle encoding of both audio and video in acommon data stream or separate data streams. If applicable, in someexamples, MUX-DEMUX units may conform to the ITU H.223 multiplexerprotocol, or other protocols such as the user datagram protocol (UDP).

The video encoder 20 and the video decoder 30 each may be implemented asany of a variety of suitable encoder circuitry, such as one or moremicroprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs),discrete logic, software, hardware, firmware or any combinationsthereof. When the techniques are implemented partially in software, adevice may store instructions for the software in a suitable,non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute the instructions inhardware using one or more processors to perform the techniques of thisdisclosure. Each of the video encoder 20 and the video decoder 30 may beincluded in one or more encoders or decoders, either of which may beintegrated as part of a combined encoder/decoder (CODEC) in a respectivedevice.

Video Coding Process

As mentioned briefly above, the video encoder 20 encodes video data. Thevideo data may comprise one or more pictures. Each of the pictures is astill image forming part of a video. In some instances, a picture may bereferred to as a video “frame.” When the video encoder 20 encodes thevideo data, the video encoder 20 may generate a bitstream. The bitstreammay include a sequence of bits that form a coded representation of thevideo data. The bitstream may include coded pictures and associateddata. A coded picture is a coded representation of a picture.

To generate the bitstream, the video encoder 20 may perform encodingoperations on each picture in the video data. When the video encoder 20performs encoding operations on the pictures, the video encoder 20 maygenerate a series of coded pictures and associated data. The associateddata may include video parameter sets (VPS), sequence parameter sets(SPSs), picture parameter sets (PPSs), adaptation parameter sets (APSs),and other syntax structures. A SPS may contain parameters applicable tozero or more sequences of pictures. A PPS may contain parametersapplicable to zero or more pictures. An APS may contain parametersapplicable to zero or more pictures. Parameters in an APS may beparameters that are more likely to change than parameters in a PPS.

To generate a coded picture, the video encoder 20 may partition apicture into equally-sized video blocks. A video block may be atwo-dimensional array of samples. Each of the video blocks is associatedwith a treeblock. In some instances, a treeblock may be referred to as alargest coding unit (LCU). The treeblocks of HEVC may be broadlyanalogous to the macroblocks of previous standards, such as H.264/AVC.However, a treeblock is not necessarily limited to a particular size andmay include one or more coding units (CUs). The video encoder 20 may usequadtree partitioning to partition the video blocks of treeblocks intovideo blocks associated with CUs, hence the name “treeblocks.”

In some examples, the video encoder 20 may partition a picture into aplurality of slices. Each of the slices may include an integer number ofCUs. In some instances, a slice comprises an integer number oftreeblocks. In other instances, a boundary of a slice may be within atreeblock.

As part of performing an encoding operation on a picture, the videoencoder 20 may perform encoding operations on each slice of the picture.When the video encoder 20 performs an encoding operation on a slice, thevideo encoder 20 may generate encoded data associated with the slice.The encoded data associated with the slice may be referred to as a“coded slice.”

To generate a coded slice, the video encoder 20 may perform encodingoperations on each treeblock in a slice. When the video encoder 20performs an encoding operation on a treeblock, the video encoder 20 maygenerate a coded treeblock. The coded treeblock may comprise datarepresenting an encoded version of the treeblock.

When the video encoder 20 generates a coded slice, the video encoder 20may perform encoding operations on (e.g., encode) the treeblocks in theslice according to a raster scan order. For example, the video encoder20 may encode the treeblocks of the slice in an order that proceeds fromleft to right across a topmost row of treeblocks in the slice, then fromleft to right across a next lower row of treeblocks, and so on until thevideo encoder 20 has encoded each of the treeblocks in the slice.

As a result of encoding the treeblocks according to the raster scanorder, the treeblocks above and to the left of a given treeblock mayhave been encoded, but treeblocks below and to the right of the giventreeblock have not yet been encoded. Consequently, the video encoder 20may be able to access information generated by encoding treeblocks aboveand to the left of the given treeblock when encoding the giventreeblock. However, the video encoder 20 may be unable to accessinformation generated by encoding treeblocks below and to the right ofthe given treeblock when encoding the given treeblock.

To generate a coded treeblock, the video encoder 20 may recursivelyperform quadtree partitioning on the video block of the treeblock todivide the video block into progressively smaller video blocks. Each ofthe smaller video blocks may be associated with a different CU. Forexample, the video encoder 20 may partition the video block of atreeblock into four equally-sized sub-blocks, partition one or more ofthe sub-blocks into four equally-sized sub-sub-blocks, and so on. Apartitioned CU may be a CU whose video block is partitioned into videoblocks associated with other CUs. A non-partitioned CU may be a CU whosevideo block is not partitioned into video blocks associated with otherCUs.

One or more syntax elements in the bitstream may indicate a maximumnumber of times the video encoder 20 may partition the video block of atreeblock. A video block of a CU may be square in shape. The size of thevideo block of a CU (e.g., the size of the CU) may range from 8×8 pixelsup to the size of a video block of a treeblock (e.g., the size of thetreeblock) with a maximum of 64×64 pixels or greater.

The video encoder 20 may perform encoding operations on (e.g., encode)each CU of a treeblock according to a z-scan order. In other words, thevideo encoder 20 may encode a top-left CU, a top-right CU, a bottom-leftCU, and then a bottom-right CU, in that order. When the video encoder 20performs an encoding operation on a partitioned CU, the video encoder 20may encode CUs associated with sub-blocks of the video block of thepartitioned CU according to the z-scan order. In other words, the videoencoder 20 may encode a CU associated with a top-left sub-block, a CUassociated with a top-right sub-block, a CU associated with abottom-left sub-block, and then a CU associated with a bottom-rightsub-block, in that order.

As a result of encoding the CUs of a treeblock according to a z-scanorder, the CUs above, above-and-to-the-left, above-and-to-the-right,left, and below-and-to-the left of a given CU may have been encoded. CUsbelow and to the right of the given CU have not yet been encoded.Consequently, the video encoder 20 may be able to access informationgenerated by encoding some CUs that neighbor the given CU when encodingthe given CU. However, the video encoder 20 may be unable to accessinformation generated by encoding other CUs that neighbor the given CUwhen encoding the given CU.

When the video encoder 20 encodes a non-partitioned CU, the videoencoder 20 may generate one or more prediction units (PUs) for the CU.Each of the PUs of the CU may be associated with a different video blockwithin the video block of the CU. The video encoder 20 may generate apredicted video block for each PU of the CU. The predicted video blockof a PU may be a block of samples. The video encoder 20 may use intraprediction or inter prediction to generate the predicted video block fora PU.

When the video encoder 20 uses intra prediction to generate thepredicted video block of a PU, the video encoder 20 may generate thepredicted video block of the PU based on decoded samples of the pictureassociated with the PU. If the video encoder 20 uses intra prediction togenerate predicted video blocks of the PUs of a CU, the CU is anintra-predicted CU. When the video encoder 20 uses inter prediction togenerate the predicted video block of the PU, the video encoder 20 maygenerate the predicted video block of the PU based on decoded samples ofone or more pictures other than the picture associated with the PU. Ifthe video encoder 20 uses inter prediction to generate predicted videoblocks of the PUs of a CU, the CU is an inter-predicted CU.

Furthermore, when the video encoder 20 uses inter prediction to generatea predicted video block for a PU, the video encoder 20 may generatemotion information for the PU. The motion information for a PU mayindicate one or more reference blocks of the PU. Each reference block ofthe PU may be a video block within a reference picture. The referencepicture may be a picture other than the picture associated with the PU.In some instances, a reference block of a PU may also be referred to asthe “reference sample” of the PU. The video encoder 20 may generate thepredicted video block for the PU based on the reference blocks of thePU.

After the video encoder 20 generates predicted video blocks for one ormore PUs of a CU, the video encoder 20 may generate residual data forthe CU based on the predicted video blocks for the PUs of the CU. Theresidual data for the CU may indicate differences between samples in thepredicted video blocks for the PUs of the CU and the original videoblock of the CU.

Furthermore, as part of performing an encoding operation on anon-partitioned CU, the video encoder 20 may perform recursive quadtreepartitioning on the residual data of the CU to partition the residualdata of the CU into one or more blocks of residual data (e.g., residualvideo blocks) associated with transform units (TUs) of the CU. Each TUof a CU may be associated with a different residual video block.

The video encoder 20 may apply one or more transforms to residual videoblocks associated with the TUs to generate transform coefficient blocks(e.g., blocks of transform coefficients) associated with the TUs.Conceptually, a transform coefficient block may be a two-dimensional(2D) matrix of transform coefficients.

After generating a transform coefficient block, the video encoder 20 mayperform a quantization process on the transform coefficient block.Quantization generally refers to a process in which transformcoefficients are quantized to possibly reduce the amount of data used torepresent the transform coefficients, providing further compression. Thequantization process may reduce the bit depth associated with some orall of the transform coefficients. For example, an n-bit transformcoefficient may be rounded down to an m-bit transform coefficient duringquantization, where n is greater than m.

The video encoder 20 may associate each CU with a quantization parameter(QP) value. The QP value associated with a CU may determine how thevideo encoder 20 quantizes transform coefficient blocks associated withthe CU. The video encoder 20 may adjust the degree of quantizationapplied to the transform coefficient blocks associated with a CU byadjusting the QP value associated with the CU.

After the video encoder 20 quantizes a transform coefficient block, thevideo encoder 20 may generate sets of syntax elements that represent thetransform coefficients in the quantized transform coefficient block. Thevideo encoder 20 may apply entropy encoding operations, such as ContextAdaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding (CABAC) operations, to some of thesesyntax elements. Other entropy coding techniques such as contentadaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), probability intervalpartitioning entropy (PIPE) coding, or other binary arithmetic codingcould also be used.

The bitstream generated by the video encoder 20 may include a series ofNetwork Abstraction Layer (NAL) units. Each of the NAL units may be asyntax structure containing an indication of a type of data in the NALunit and bytes containing the data. For example, a NAL unit may containdata representing a video parameter set, a sequence parameter set, apicture parameter set, a coded slice, supplemental enhancementinformation (SEI), an access unit delimiter, filler data, or anothertype of data. The data in a NAL unit may include various syntaxstructures.

The video decoder 30 may receive the bitstream generated by the videoencoder 20. The bitstream may include a coded representation of thevideo data encoded by the video encoder 20. When the video decoder 30receives the bitstream, the video decoder 30 may perform a parsingoperation on the bitstream. When the video decoder 30 performs theparsing operation, the video decoder 30 may extract syntax elements fromthe bitstream. The video decoder 30 may reconstruct the pictures of thevideo data based on the syntax elements extracted from the bitstream.The process to reconstruct the video data based on the syntax elementsmay be generally reciprocal to the process performed by the videoencoder 20 to generate the syntax elements.

After the video decoder 30 extracts the syntax elements associated witha CU, the video decoder 30 may generate predicted video blocks for thePUs of the CU based on the syntax elements. In addition, the videodecoder 30 may inverse quantize transform coefficient blocks associatedwith TUs of the CU. The video decoder 30 may perform inverse transformson the transform coefficient blocks to reconstruct residual video blocksassociated with the TUs of the CU. After generating the predicted videoblocks and reconstructing the residual video blocks, the video decoder30 may reconstruct the video block of the CU based on the predictedvideo blocks and the residual video blocks. In this way, the videodecoder 30 may reconstruct the video blocks of CUs based on the syntaxelements in the bitstream.

Video Encoder

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating an example of the video encoder20 that may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure. The video encoder 20 may be configured to process asingle layer of a video frame, such as for HEVC. Further, the videoencoder 20 may be configured to perform any or all of the techniques ofthis disclosure, including but not limited to the methods of inferringNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag and related processes described in greaterdetail above and below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. As one example,prediction processing unit 100 may be configured to perform any or allof the techniques described in this disclosure. In another embodiment,the video encoder 20 includes an optional inter-layer prediction unit128 that is configured to perform any or all of the techniques describedin this disclosure. In other embodiments, inter-layer prediction can beperformed by prediction processing unit 100 (e.g., inter prediction unit121 and/or intra prediction unit 126), in which case the inter-layerprediction unit 128 may be omitted. However, aspects of this disclosureare not so limited. In some examples, the techniques described in thisdisclosure may be shared among the various components of the videoencoder 20. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, a processor(not shown) may be configured to perform any or all of the techniquesdescribed in this disclosure.

For purposes of explanation, this disclosure describes the video encoder20 in the context of HEVC coding. However, the techniques of thisdisclosure may be applicable to other coding standards or methods. Theexample depicted in FIG. 2A is for a single layer codec. However, aswill be described further with respect to FIG. 2B, some or all of thevideo encoder 20 may be duplicated for processing of a multi-layercodec.

The video encoder 20 may perform intra- and inter-coding of video blockswithin video slices. Intra coding relies on spatial prediction to reduceor remove spatial redundancy in video within a given video frame orpicture. Inter-coding relies on temporal prediction to reduce or removetemporal redundancy in video within adjacent frames or pictures of avideo sequence. Intra-mode (I mode) may refer to any of several spatialbased coding modes. Inter-modes, such as uni-directional prediction (Pmode) or bi-directional prediction (B mode), may refer to any of severaltemporal-based coding modes.

In the example of FIG. 2A, the video encoder 20 includes a plurality offunctional components. The functional components of the video encoder 20include a prediction processing unit 100, a residual generation unit102, a transform processing unit 104, a quantization unit 106, aninverse quantization unit 108, an inverse transform unit 110, areconstruction unit 112, a filter unit 113, a decoded picture buffer114, and an entropy encoding unit 116. Prediction processing unit 100includes an inter prediction unit 121, a motion estimation unit 122, amotion compensation unit 124, an intra prediction unit 126, and aninter-layer prediction unit 128. In other examples, the video encoder 20may include more, fewer, or different functional components.Furthermore, motion estimation unit 122 and motion compensation unit 124may be highly integrated, but are represented in the example of FIG. 2Aseparately for purposes of explanation.

The video encoder 20 may receive video data. The video encoder 20 mayreceive the video data from various sources. For example, the videoencoder 20 may receive the video data from video source 18 (e.g., shownin FIG. 1A or 1B) or another source. The video data may represent aseries of pictures. To encode the video data, the video encoder 20 mayperform an encoding operation on each of the pictures. As part ofperforming the encoding operation on a picture, the video encoder 20 mayperform encoding operations on each slice of the picture. As part ofperforming an encoding operation on a slice, the video encoder 20 mayperform encoding operations on treeblocks in the slice.

As part of performing an encoding operation on a treeblock, predictionprocessing unit 100 may perform quadtree partitioning on the video blockof the treeblock to divide the video block into progressively smallervideo blocks. Each of the smaller video blocks may be associated with adifferent CU. For example, prediction processing unit 100 may partitiona video block of a treeblock into four equally-sized sub-blocks,partition one or more of the sub-blocks into four equally-sizedsub-sub-blocks, and so on.

The sizes of the video blocks associated with CUs may range from 8×8samples up to the size of the treeblock with a maximum of 64×64 samplesor greater. In this disclosure, “N×N” and “N by N” may be usedinterchangeably to refer to the sample dimensions of a video block interms of vertical and horizontal dimensions, e.g., 16×16 samples or 16by 16 samples. In general, a 16×16 video block has sixteen samples in avertical direction (y=16) and sixteen samples in a horizontal direction(x=16). Likewise, an N×N block generally has N samples in a verticaldirection and N samples in a horizontal direction, where N represents anonnegative integer value.

Furthermore, as part of performing the encoding operation on atreeblock, prediction processing unit 100 may generate a hierarchicalquadtree data structure for the treeblock. For example, a treeblock maycorrespond to a root node of the quadtree data structure. If predictionprocessing unit 100 partitions the video block of the treeblock intofour sub-blocks, the root node has four child nodes in the quadtree datastructure. Each of the child nodes corresponds to a CU associated withone of the sub-blocks. If prediction processing unit 100 partitions oneof the sub-blocks into four sub-sub-blocks, the node corresponding tothe CU associated with the sub-block may have four child nodes, each ofwhich corresponds to a CU associated with one of the sub-sub-blocks.

Each node of the quadtree data structure may contain syntax data (e.g.,syntax elements) for the corresponding treeblock or CU. For example, anode in the quadtree may include a split flag that indicates whether thevideo block of the CU corresponding to the node is partitioned (e.g.,split) into four sub-blocks. Syntax elements for a CU may be definedrecursively, and may depend on whether the video block of the CU issplit into sub-blocks. A CU whose video block is not partitioned maycorrespond to a leaf node in the quadtree data structure. A codedtreeblock may include data based on the quadtree data structure for acorresponding treeblock.

The video encoder 20 may perform encoding operations on eachnon-partitioned CU of a treeblock. When the video encoder 20 performs anencoding operation on a non-partitioned CU, the video encoder 20generates data representing an encoded representation of thenon-partitioned CU.

As part of performing an encoding operation on a CU, predictionprocessing unit 100 may partition the video block of the CU among one ormore PUs of the CU. The video encoder 20 and the video decoder 30 maysupport various PU sizes. Assuming that the size of a particular CU is2N×2N, the video encoder 20 and the video decoder 30 may support PUsizes of 2N×2N or N×N, and inter-prediction in symmetric PU sizes of2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, N×N, 2N×nU, nL×2N, nR×2N, or similar. The videoencoder 20 and the video decoder 30 may also support asymmetricpartitioning for PU sizes of 2N×nU, 2N×nD, nL×2N, and nR×2N. In someexamples, prediction processing unit 100 may perform geometricpartitioning to partition the video block of a CU among PUs of the CUalong a boundary that does not meet the sides of the video block of theCU at right angles.

Inter prediction unit 121 may perform inter prediction on each PU of theCU. Inter prediction may provide temporal compression. To perform interprediction on a PU, motion estimation unit 122 may generate motioninformation for the PU. Motion compensation unit 124 may generate apredicted video block for the PU based the motion information anddecoded samples of pictures other than the picture associated with theCU (e.g., reference pictures). In this disclosure, a predicted videoblock generated by motion compensation unit 124 may be referred to as aninter-predicted video block.

Slices may be I slices, P slices, or B slices. Motion estimation unit122 and motion compensation unit 124 may perform different operationsfor a PU of a CU depending on whether the PU is in an I slice, a Pslice, or a B slice. In an I slice, all PUs are intra predicted. Hence,if the PU is in an I slice, motion estimation unit 122 and motioncompensation unit 124 do not perform inter prediction on the PU.

If the PU is in a P slice, the picture containing the PU is associatedwith a list of reference pictures referred to as “list 0.” Each of thereference pictures in list 0 contains samples that may be used for interprediction of other pictures. When motion estimation unit 122 performsthe motion estimation operation with regard to a PU in a P slice, motionestimation unit 122 may search the reference pictures in list 0 for areference block for the PU. The reference block of the PU may be a setof samples, e.g., a block of samples, that most closely corresponds tothe samples in the video block of the PU. Motion estimation unit 122 mayuse a variety of metrics to determine how closely a set of samples in areference picture corresponds to the samples in the video block of a PU.For example, motion estimation unit 122 may determine how closely a setof samples in a reference picture corresponds to the samples in thevideo block of a PU by sum of absolute difference (SAD), sum of squaredifference (SSD), or other difference metrics.

After identifying a reference block of a PU in a P slice, motionestimation unit 122 may generate a reference index that indicates thereference picture in list 0 containing the reference block and a motionvector that indicates a spatial displacement between the PU and thereference block. In various examples, motion estimation unit 122 maygenerate motion vectors to varying degrees of precision. For example,motion estimation unit 122 may generate motion vectors at one-quartersample precision, one-eighth sample precision, or other fractionalsample precision. In the case of fractional sample precision, referenceblock values may be interpolated from integer-position sample values inthe reference picture. Motion estimation unit 122 may output thereference index and the motion vector as the motion information of thePU. Motion compensation unit 124 may generate a predicted video block ofthe PU based on the reference block identified by the motion informationof the PU.

If the PU is in a B slice, the picture containing the PU may beassociated with two lists of reference pictures, referred to as “list 0”and “list 1.” In some examples, a picture containing a B slice may beassociated with a list combination that is a combination of list 0 andlist 1.

Furthermore, if the PU is in a B slice, motion estimation unit 122 mayperform uni-directional prediction or bi-directional prediction for thePU. When motion estimation unit 122 performs uni-directional predictionfor the PU, motion estimation unit 122 may search the reference picturesof list 0 or list 1 for a reference block for the PU. Motion estimationunit 122 may then generate a reference index that indicates thereference picture in list 0 or list 1 that contains the reference blockand a motion vector that indicates a spatial displacement between the PUand the reference block. Motion estimation unit 122 may output thereference index, a prediction direction indicator, and the motion vectoras the motion information of the PU. The prediction direction indicatormay indicate whether the reference index indicates a reference picturein list 0 or list 1. Motion compensation unit 124 may generate thepredicted video block of the PU based on the reference block indicatedby the motion information of the PU.

When motion estimation unit 122 performs bi-directional prediction for aPU, motion estimation unit 122 may search the reference pictures in list0 for a reference block for the PU and may also search the referencepictures in list 1 for another reference block for the PU. Motionestimation unit 122 may then generate reference indexes that indicatethe reference pictures in list 0 and list 1 containing the referenceblocks and motion vectors that indicate spatial displacements betweenthe reference blocks and the PU. Motion estimation unit 122 may outputthe reference indexes and the motion vectors of the PU as the motioninformation of the PU. Motion compensation unit 124 may generate thepredicted video block of the PU based on the reference blocks indicatedby the motion information of the PU.

In some instances, motion estimation unit 122 does not output a full setof motion information for a PU to entropy encoding unit 116. Rather,motion estimation unit 122 may signal the motion information of a PUwith reference to the motion information of another PU. For example,motion estimation unit 122 may determine that the motion information ofthe PU is sufficiently similar to the motion information of aneighboring PU. In this example, motion estimation unit 122 mayindicate, in a syntax structure associated with the PU, a value thatindicates to the video decoder 30 that the PU has the same motioninformation as the neighboring PU. In another example, motion estimationunit 122 may identify, in a syntax structure associated with the PU, aneighboring PU and a motion vector difference (MVD). The motion vectordifference indicates a difference between the motion vector of the PUand the motion vector of the indicated neighboring PU. The video decoder30 may use the motion vector of the indicated neighboring PU and themotion vector difference to determine the motion vector of the PU. Byreferring to the motion information of a first PU when signaling themotion information of a second PU, the video encoder 20 may be able tosignal the motion information of the second PU using fewer bits.

As further discussed below with reference to FIG. 5, the predictionprocessing unit 100 may be configured to code (e.g., encode or decode)the PU (or any other reference layer and/or enhancement layer blocks orvideo units) by performing the methods illustrated in FIG. 5. Forexample, inter prediction unit 121 (e.g., via motion estimation unit 122and/or motion compensation unit 124), intra prediction unit 126, orinter-layer prediction unit 128 may be configured to perform the methodsillustrated in FIG. 5, either together or separately.

As part of performing an encoding operation on a CU, intra predictionunit 126 may perform intra prediction on PUs of the CU. Intra predictionmay provide spatial compression. When intra prediction unit 126 performsintra prediction on a PU, intra prediction unit 126 may generateprediction data for the PU based on decoded samples of other PUs in thesame picture. The prediction data for the PU may include a predictedvideo block and various syntax elements. Intra prediction unit 126 mayperform intra prediction on PUs in I slices, P slices, and B slices.

To perform intra prediction on a PU, intra prediction unit 126 may usemultiple intra prediction modes to generate multiple sets of predictiondata for the PU. When intra prediction unit 126 uses an intra predictionmode to generate a set of prediction data for the PU, intra predictionunit 126 may extend samples from video blocks of neighboring PUs acrossthe video block of the PU in a direction and/or gradient associated withthe intra prediction mode. The neighboring PUs may be above, above andto the right, above and to the left, or to the left of the PU, assuminga left-to-right, top-to-bottom encoding order for PUs, CUs, andtreeblocks. Intra prediction unit 126 may use various numbers of intraprediction modes, e.g., 33 directional intra prediction modes, dependingon the size of the PU.

Prediction processing unit 100 may select the prediction data for a PUfrom among the prediction data generated by motion compensation unit 124for the PU or the prediction data generated by intra prediction unit 126for the PU. In some examples, prediction processing unit 100 selects theprediction data for the PU based on rate/distortion metrics of the setsof prediction data.

If prediction processing unit 100 selects prediction data generated byintra prediction unit 126, prediction processing unit 100 may signal theintra prediction mode that was used to generate the prediction data forthe PUs, e.g., the selected intra prediction mode. Prediction processingunit 100 may signal the selected intra prediction mode in various ways.For example, it may be probable that the selected intra prediction modeis the same as the intra prediction mode of a neighboring PU. In otherwords, the intra prediction mode of the neighboring PU may be the mostprobable mode for the current PU. Thus, prediction processing unit 100may generate a syntax element to indicate that the selected intraprediction mode is the same as the intra prediction mode of theneighboring PU.

As discussed above, the video encoder 20 may include inter-layerprediction unit 128. Inter-layer prediction unit 128 is configured topredict a current block (e.g., a current block in the EL) using one ormore different layers that are available in SVC (e.g., a base orreference layer). Such prediction may be referred to as inter-layerprediction. Inter-layer prediction unit 128 utilizes prediction methodsto reduce inter-layer redundancy, thereby improving coding efficiencyand reducing computational resource requirements. Some examples ofinter-layer prediction include inter-layer intra prediction, inter-layermotion prediction, and inter-layer residual prediction. Inter-layerintra prediction uses the reconstruction of co-located blocks in thebase layer to predict the current block in the enhancement layer.Inter-layer motion prediction uses motion information of the base layerto predict motion in the enhancement layer. Inter-layer residualprediction uses the residue of the base layer to predict the residue ofthe enhancement layer. Each of the inter-layer prediction schemes isdiscussed below in greater detail.

After prediction processing unit 100 selects the prediction data for PUsof a CU, residual generation unit 102 may generate residual data for theCU by subtracting (e.g., indicated by the minus sign) the predictedvideo blocks of the PUs of the CU from the video block of the CU. Theresidual data of a CU may include 2D residual video blocks thatcorrespond to different sample components of the samples in the videoblock of the CU. For example, the residual data may include a residualvideo block that corresponds to differences between luminance componentsof samples in the predicted video blocks of the PUs of the CU andluminance components of samples in the original video block of the CU.In addition, the residual data of the CU may include residual videoblocks that correspond to the differences between chrominance componentsof samples in the predicted video blocks of the PUs of the CU and thechrominance components of the samples in the original video block of theCU.

Prediction processing unit 100 may perform quadtree partitioning topartition the residual video blocks of a CU into sub-blocks. Eachundivided residual video block may be associated with a different TU ofthe CU. The sizes and positions of the residual video blocks associatedwith TUs of a CU may or may not be based on the sizes and positions ofvideo blocks associated with the PUs of the CU. A quadtree structureknown as a “residual quad tree” (RQT) may include nodes associated witheach of the residual video blocks. The TUs of a CU may correspond toleaf nodes of the RQT.

Transform processing unit 104 may generate one or more transformcoefficient blocks for each TU of a CU by applying one or moretransforms to a residual video block associated with the TU. Each of thetransform coefficient blocks may be a 2D matrix of transformcoefficients. Transform processing unit 104 may apply various transformsto the residual video block associated with a TU. For example, transformprocessing unit 104 may apply a discrete cosine transform (DCT), adirectional transform, or a conceptually similar transform to theresidual video block associated with a TU.

After transform processing unit 104 generates a transform coefficientblock associated with a TU, quantization unit 106 may quantize thetransform coefficients in the transform coefficient block. Quantizationunit 106 may quantize a transform coefficient block associated with a TUof a CU based on a QP value associated with the CU.

The video encoder 20 may associate a QP value with a CU in various ways.For example, the video encoder 20 may perform a rate-distortion analysison a treeblock associated with the CU. In the rate-distortion analysis,the video encoder 20 may generate multiple coded representations of thetreeblock by performing an encoding operation multiple times on thetreeblock. The video encoder 20 may associate different QP values withthe CU when the video encoder 20 generates different encodedrepresentations of the treeblock. The video encoder 20 may signal that agiven QP value is associated with the CU when the given QP value isassociated with the CU in a coded representation of the treeblock thathas a lowest bitrate and distortion metric.

Inverse quantization unit 108 and inverse transform unit 110 may applyinverse quantization and inverse transforms to the transform coefficientblock, respectively, to reconstruct a residual video block from thetransform coefficient block. Reconstruction unit 112 may add thereconstructed residual video block to corresponding samples from one ormore predicted video blocks generated by prediction processing unit 100to produce a reconstructed video block associated with a TU. Byreconstructing video blocks for each TU of a CU in this way, the videoencoder 20 may reconstruct the video block of the CU.

After reconstruction unit 112 reconstructs the video block of a CU,filter unit 113 may perform a deblocking operation to reduce blockingartifacts in the video block associated with the CU. After performingthe one or more deblocking operations, filter unit 113 may store thereconstructed video block of the CU in decoded picture buffer 114.Motion estimation unit 122 and motion compensation unit 124 may use areference picture that contains the reconstructed video block to performinter prediction on PUs of subsequent pictures. In addition, intraprediction unit 126 may use reconstructed video blocks in decodedpicture buffer 114 to perform intra prediction on other PUs in the samepicture as the CU.

Entropy encoding unit 116 may receive data from other functionalcomponents of the video encoder 20. For example, entropy encoding unit116 may receive transform coefficient blocks from quantization unit 106and may receive syntax elements from prediction processing unit 100.When entropy encoding unit 116 receives the data, entropy encoding unit116 may perform one or more entropy encoding operations to generateentropy encoded data. For example, the video encoder 20 may perform acontext adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC) operation, a CABACoperation, a variable-to-variable (V2V) length coding operation, asyntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC) operation,a Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) coding operation, oranother type of entropy encoding operation on the data. Entropy encodingunit 116 may output a bitstream that includes the entropy encoded data.

As part of performing an entropy encoding operation on data, entropyencoding unit 116 may select a context model. If entropy encoding unit116 is performing a CABAC operation, the context model may indicateestimates of probabilities of particular bins having particular values.In the context of CABAC, the term “bin” is used to refer to a bit of abinarized version of a syntax element.

Multi-Layer Video Encoder

FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a multi-layervideo encoder 23 (also simply referred to as video encoder 23) that mayimplement techniques in accordance with aspects described in thisdisclosure. The video encoder 23 may be configured to processmulti-layer video frames, such as for SHVC and multiview coding.Further, the video encoder 23 may be configured to perform any or all ofthe techniques of this disclosure.

The video encoder 23 includes a video encoder 20A and video encoder 20B,each of which may be configured as the video encoder 20 and may performthe functions described above with respect to the video encoder 20.Further, as indicated by the reuse of reference numbers, the videoencoders 20A and 20B may include at least some of the systems andsubsystems as the video encoder 20. Although the video encoder 23 isillustrated as including two video encoders 20A and 20B, the videoencoder 23 is not limited as such and may include any number of videoencoder 20 layers. In some embodiments, the video encoder 23 may includea video encoder 20 for each picture or frame in an access unit. Forexample, an access unit that includes five pictures may be processed orencoded by a video encoder that includes five encoder layers. In someembodiments, the video encoder 23 may include more encoder layers thanframes in an access unit. In some such cases, some of the video encoderlayers may be inactive when processing some access units.

In addition to the video encoders 20A and 20B, the video encoder 23 mayinclude an resampling unit 90. The resampling unit 90 may, in somecases, upsample a base layer of a received video frame to, for example,create an enhancement layer. The resampling unit 90 may upsampleparticular information associated with the received base layer of aframe, but not other information. For example, the resampling unit 90may upsample the spatial size or number of pixels of the base layer, butthe number of slices or the picture order count may remain constant. Insome cases, the resampling unit 90 may not process the received videoand/or may be optional. For example, in some cases, the predictionprocessing unit 100 may perform upsampling. In some embodiments, theresampling unit 90 is configured to upsample a layer and reorganize,redefine, modify, or adjust one or more slices to comply with a set ofslice boundary rules and/or raster scan rules. Although primarilydescribed as upsampling a base layer, or a lower layer in an accessunit, in some cases, the resampling unit 90 may downsample a layer. Forexample, if during streaming of a video bandwidth is reduced, a framemay be downsampled instead of upsampled.

The resampling unit 90 may be configured to receive a picture or frame(or picture information associated with the picture) from the decodedpicture buffer 114 of the lower layer encoder (e.g., the video encoder20A) and to upsample the picture (or the received picture information).This upsampled picture may then be provided to the prediction processingunit 100 of a higher layer encoder (e.g., the video encoder 20B)configured to encode a picture in the same access unit as the lowerlayer encoder. In some cases, the higher layer encoder is one layerremoved from the lower layer encoder. In other cases, there may be oneor more higher layer encoders between the layer 0 video encoder and thelayer 1 encoder of FIG. 2B.

In some cases, the resampling unit 90 may be omitted or bypassed. Insuch cases, the picture from the decoded picture buffer 114 of the videoencoder 20A may be provided directly, or at least without being providedto the resampling unit 90, to the prediction processing unit 100 of thevideo encoder 20B. For example, if video data provided to the videoencoder 20B and the reference picture from the decoded picture buffer114 of the video encoder 20A are of the same size or resolution, thereference picture may be provided to the video encoder 20B without anyresampling.

In some embodiments, the video encoder 23 downsamples video data to beprovided to the lower layer encoder using the downsampling unit 94before provided the video data to the video encoder 20A. Alternatively,the downsampling unit 94 may be a resampling unit 90 capable ofupsampling or downsampling the video data. In yet other embodiments, thedownsampling unit 94 may be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the video encoder 23 may further include amultiplexor 98, or mux. The mux 98 can output a combined bitstream fromthe video encoder 23. The combined bitstream may be created by taking abitstream from each of the video encoders 20A and 20B and alternatingwhich bitstream is output at a given time. While in some cases the bitsfrom the two (or more in the case of more than two video encoder layers)bitstreams may be alternated one bit at a time, in many cases thebitstreams are combined differently. For example, the output bitstreammay be created by alternating the selected bitstream one block at atime. In another example, the output bitstream may be created byoutputting a non-1:1 ratio of blocks from each of the video encoders 20Aand 20B. For instance, two blocks may be output from the video encoder20B for each block output from the video encoder 20A. In someembodiments, the output stream from the mux 98 may be preprogrammed. Inother embodiments, the mux 98 may combine the bitstreams from the videoencoders 20A, 20B based on a control signal received from a systemexternal to the video encoder 23, such as from a processor on a sourcedevice including the source device 12. The control signal may begenerated based on the resolution or bitrate of a video from the videosource 18, based on a bandwidth of the link 16, based on a subscriptionassociated with a user (e.g., a paid subscription versus a freesubscription), or based on any other factor for determining a resolutionoutput desired from the video encoder 23.

Video Decoder

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating an example of the video decoder30 that may implement techniques in accordance with aspects described inthis disclosure. The video decoder 30 may be configured to process asingle layer of a video frame, such as for HEVC. Further, the videodecoder 30 may be configured to perform any or all of the techniques ofthis disclosure, including but not limited to the methods of inferringNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag and related processes described in greaterdetail above and below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. As one example,motion compensation unit 162 and/or intra prediction unit 164 may beconfigured to perform any or all of the techniques described in thisdisclosure. In one embodiment, the video decoder 30 may optionallyinclude inter-layer prediction unit 166 that is configured to performany or all of the techniques described in this disclosure. In otherembodiments, inter-layer prediction can be performed by predictionprocessing unit 152 (e.g., motion compensation unit 162 and/or intraprediction unit 164), in which case the inter-layer prediction unit 166may be omitted. However, aspects of this disclosure are not so limited.In some examples, the techniques described in this disclosure may beshared among the various components of the video decoder 30. In someexamples, additionally or alternatively, a processor (not shown) may beconfigured to perform any or all of the techniques described in thisdisclosure.

For purposes of explanation, this disclosure describes the video decoder30 in the context of HEVC coding. However, the techniques of thisdisclosure may be applicable to other coding standards or methods. Theexample depicted in FIG. 3A is for a single layer codec. However, aswill be described further with respect to FIG. 3B, some or all of thevideo decoder 30 may be duplicated for processing of a multi-layercodec.

In the example of FIG. 3A, the video decoder 30 includes a plurality offunctional components. The functional components of the video decoder 30include an entropy decoding unit 150, a prediction processing unit 152,an inverse quantization unit 154, an inverse transform unit 156, areconstruction unit 158, a filter unit 159, and a decoded picture buffer160. Prediction processing unit 152 includes a motion compensation unit162, an intra prediction unit 164, and an inter-layer prediction unit166. In some examples, the video decoder 30 may perform a decoding passgenerally reciprocal to the encoding pass described with respect to thevideo encoder 20 of FIG. 2A. In other examples, the video decoder 30 mayinclude more, fewer, or different functional components.

The video decoder 30 may receive a bitstream that comprises encodedvideo data. The bitstream may include a plurality of syntax elements.When the video decoder 30 receives the bitstream, entropy decoding unit150 may perform a parsing operation on the bitstream. As a result ofperforming the parsing operation on the bitstream, entropy decoding unit150 may extract syntax elements from the bitstream. As part ofperforming the parsing operation, entropy decoding unit 150 may entropydecode entropy encoded syntax elements in the bitstream. Predictionprocessing unit 152, inverse quantization unit 154, inverse transformunit 156, reconstruction unit 158, and filter unit 159 may perform areconstruction operation that generates decoded video data based on thesyntax elements extracted from the bitstream.

As discussed above, the bitstream may comprise a series of NAL units.The NAL units of the bitstream may include video parameter set NALunits, sequence parameter set NAL units, picture parameter set NALunits, SEI NAL units, and so on. As part of performing the parsingoperation on the bitstream, entropy decoding unit 150 may performparsing operations that extract and entropy decode sequence parametersets from sequence parameter set NAL units, picture parameter sets frompicture parameter set NAL units, SEI data from SEI NAL units, and so on.

In addition, the NAL units of the bitstream may include coded slice NALunits. As part of performing the parsing operation on the bitstream,entropy decoding unit 150 may perform parsing operations that extractand entropy decode coded slices from the coded slice NAL units. Each ofthe coded slices may include a slice header and slice data. The sliceheader may contain syntax elements pertaining to a slice. The syntaxelements in the slice header may include a syntax element thatidentifies a picture parameter set associated with a picture thatcontains the slice. Entropy decoding unit 150 may perform entropydecoding operations, such as CABAC decoding operations, on syntaxelements in the coded slice header to recover the slice header.

As part of extracting the slice data from coded slice NAL units, entropydecoding unit 150 may perform parsing operations that extract syntaxelements from coded CUs in the slice data. The extracted syntax elementsmay include syntax elements associated with transform coefficientblocks. Entropy decoding unit 150 may then perform CABAC decodingoperations on some of the syntax elements.

After entropy decoding unit 150 performs a parsing operation on anon-partitioned CU, the video decoder 30 may perform a reconstructionoperation on the non-partitioned CU. To perform the reconstructionoperation on a non-partitioned CU, the video decoder 30 may perform areconstruction operation on each TU of the CU. By performing thereconstruction operation for each TU of the CU, the video decoder 30 mayreconstruct a residual video block associated with the CU.

As part of performing a reconstruction operation on a TU, inversequantization unit 154 may inverse quantize, e.g., de-quantize, atransform coefficient block associated with the TU. Inverse quantizationunit 154 may inverse quantize the transform coefficient block in amanner similar to the inverse quantization processes proposed for HEVCor defined by the H.264 decoding standard. Inverse quantization unit 154may use a quantization parameter QP calculated by the video encoder 20for a CU of the transform coefficient block to determine a degree ofquantization and, likewise, a degree of inverse quantization for inversequantization unit 154 to apply.

After inverse quantization unit 154 inverse quantizes a transformcoefficient block, inverse transform unit 156 may generate a residualvideo block for the TU associated with the transform coefficient block.Inverse transform unit 156 may apply an inverse transform to thetransform coefficient block in order to generate the residual videoblock for the TU. For example, inverse transform unit 156 may apply aninverse DCT, an inverse integer transform, an inverse Karhunen-Loevetransform (KLT), an inverse rotational transform, an inverse directionaltransform, or another inverse transform to the transform coefficientblock. In some examples, inverse transform unit 156 may determine aninverse transform to apply to the transform coefficient block based onsignaling from the video encoder 20. In such examples, inverse transformunit 156 may determine the inverse transform based on a signaledtransform at the root node of a quadtree for a treeblock associated withthe transform coefficient block. In other examples, inverse transformunit 156 may infer the inverse transform from one or more codingcharacteristics, such as block size, coding mode, or the like. In someexamples, inverse transform unit 156 may apply a cascaded inversetransform.

In some examples, motion compensation unit 162 may refine the predictedvideo block of a PU by performing interpolation based on interpolationfilters. Identifiers for interpolation filters to be used for motioncompensation with sub-sample precision may be included in the syntaxelements. Motion compensation unit 162 may use the same interpolationfilters used by the video encoder 20 during generation of the predictedvideo block of the PU to calculate interpolated values for sub-integersamples of a reference block. Motion compensation unit 162 may determinethe interpolation filters used by the video encoder 20 according toreceived syntax information and use the interpolation filters to producethe predicted video block.

As further discussed below with reference to FIG. 5, the predictionprocessing unit 152 may code (e.g., encode or decode) the PU (or anyother reference layer and/or enhancement layer blocks or video units) byperforming the methods illustrated in FIG. 5. For example, motioncompensation unit 162, intra prediction unit 164, or inter-layerprediction unit 166 may be configured to perform the methods illustratedin FIG. 5, either together or separately.

If a PU is encoded using intra prediction, intra prediction unit 164 mayperform intra prediction to generate a predicted video block for the PU.For example, intra prediction unit 164 may determine an intra predictionmode for the PU based on syntax elements in the bitstream. The bitstreammay include syntax elements that intra prediction unit 164 may use todetermine the intra prediction mode of the PU.

In some instances, the syntax elements may indicate that intraprediction unit 164 is to use the intra prediction mode of another PU todetermine the intra prediction mode of the current PU. For example, itmay be probable that the intra prediction mode of the current PU is thesame as the intra prediction mode of a neighboring PU. In other words,the intra prediction mode of the neighboring PU may be the most probablemode for the current PU. Hence, in this example, the bitstream mayinclude a small syntax element that indicates that the intra predictionmode of the PU is the same as the intra prediction mode of theneighboring PU. Intra prediction unit 164 may then use the intraprediction mode to generate prediction data (e.g., predicted samples)for the PU based on the video blocks of spatially neighboring PUs.

As discussed above, the video decoder 30 may also include inter-layerprediction unit 166. Inter-layer prediction unit 166 is configured topredict a current block (e.g., a current block in the EL) using one ormore different layers that are available in SVC (e.g., a base orreference layer). Such prediction may be referred to as inter-layerprediction. Inter-layer prediction unit 166 utilizes prediction methodsto reduce inter-layer redundancy, thereby improving coding efficiencyand reducing computational resource requirements. Some examples ofinter-layer prediction include inter-layer intra prediction, inter-layermotion prediction, and inter-layer residual prediction. Inter-layerintra prediction uses the reconstruction of co-located blocks in thebase layer to predict the current block in the enhancement layer.Inter-layer motion prediction uses motion information of the base layerto predict motion in the enhancement layer. Inter-layer residualprediction uses the residue of the base layer to predict the residue ofthe enhancement layer. Each of the inter-layer prediction schemes isdiscussed below in greater detail.

Reconstruction unit 158 may use the residual video blocks associatedwith TUs of a CU and the predicted video blocks of the PUs of the CU,e.g., either intra-prediction data or inter-prediction data, asapplicable, to reconstruct the video block of the CU. Thus, the videodecoder 30 may generate a predicted video block and a residual videoblock based on syntax elements in the bitstream and may generate a videoblock based on the predicted video block and the residual video block.

After reconstruction unit 158 reconstructs the video block of the CU,filter unit 159 may perform a deblocking operation to reduce blockingartifacts associated with the CU. After filter unit 159 performs adeblocking operation to reduce blocking artifacts associated with theCU, the video decoder 30 may store the video block of the CU in decodedpicture buffer 160. Decoded picture buffer 160 may provide referencepictures for subsequent motion compensation, intra prediction, andpresentation on a display device, such as display device 32 of FIG. 1Aor 1B. For instance, the video decoder 30 may perform, based on thevideo blocks in decoded picture buffer 160, intra prediction or interprediction operations on PUs of other CUs.

Multi-Layer Decoder

FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a multi-layervideo decoder 33 (also simply referred to as video decoder 33) that mayimplement techniques in accordance with aspects described in thisdisclosure. The video decoder 33 may be configured to processmulti-layer video frames, such as for SHVC and multiview coding.Further, the video decoder 33 may be configured to perform any or all ofthe techniques of this disclosure.

The video decoder 33 includes a video decoder 30A and video decoder 30B,each of which may be configured as the video decoder 30 and may performthe functions described above with respect to the video decoder 30.Further, as indicated by the reuse of reference numbers, the videodecoders 30A and 30B may include at least some of the systems andsubsystems as the video decoder 30. Although the video decoder 33 isillustrated as including two video decoders 30A and 30B, the videodecoder 33 is not limited as such and may include any number of videodecoder 30 layers. In some embodiments, the video decoder 33 may includea video decoder 30 for each picture or frame in an access unit. Forexample, an access unit that includes five pictures may be processed ordecoded by a video decoder that includes five decoder layers. In someembodiments, the video decoder 33 may include more decoder layers thanframes in an access unit. In some such cases, some of the video decoderlayers may be inactive when processing some access units.

In addition to the video decoders 30A and 30B, the video decoder 33 mayinclude an upsampling unit 92. In some embodiments, the upsampling unit92 may upsample a base layer of a received video frame to create anenhanced layer to be added to the reference picture list for the frameor access unit. This enhanced layer can be stored in the decoded picturebuffer 160. In some embodiments, the upsampling unit 92 can include someor all of the embodiments described with respect to the resampling unit90 of FIG. 2A. In some embodiments, the upsampling unit 92 is configuredto upsample a layer and reorganize, redefine, modify, or adjust one ormore slices to comply with a set of slice boundary rules and/or rasterscan rules. In some cases, the upsampling unit 92 may be a resamplingunit configured to upsample and/or downsample a layer of a receivedvideo frame

The upsampling unit 92 may be configured to receive a picture or frame(or picture information associated with the picture) from the decodedpicture buffer 160 of the lower layer decoder (e.g., the video decoder30A) and to upsample the picture (or the received picture information).This upsampled picture may then be provided to the prediction processingunit 152 of a higher layer decoder (e.g., the video decoder 30B)configured to decode a picture in the same access unit as the lowerlayer decoder. In some cases, the higher layer decoder is one layerremoved from the lower layer decoder. In other cases, there may be oneor more higher layer decoders between the layer 0 decoder and the layer1 decoder of FIG. 3B.

In some cases, the upsampling unit 92 may be omitted or bypassed. Insuch cases, the picture from the decoded picture buffer 160 of the videodecoder 30A may be provided directly, or at least without being providedto the upsampling unit 92, to the prediction processing unit 152 of thevideo decoder 30B. For example, if video data provided to the videodecoder 30B and the reference picture from the decoded picture buffer160 of the video decoder 30A are of the same size or resolution, thereference picture may be provided to the video decoder 30B withoutupsampling. Further, in some embodiments, the upsampling unit 92 may bea resampling unit 90 configured to upsample or downsample a referencepicture received from the decoded picture buffer 160 of the videodecoder 30A.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the video decoder 33 may further include ademultiplexor 99, or demux. The demux 99 can split an encoded videobitstream into multiple bitstreams with each bitstream output by thedemux 99 being provided to a different video decoder 30A and 30B. Themultiple bitstreams may be created by receiving a bitstream and each ofthe video decoders 30A and 30B receives a portion of the bitstream at agiven time. While in some cases the bits from the bitstream received atthe demux 99 may be alternated one bit at a time between each of thevideo decoders (e.g., video decoders 30A and 30B in the example of FIG.3B), in many cases the bitstream is divided differently. For example,the bitstream may be divided by alternating which video decoder receivesthe bitstream one block at a time. In another example, the bitstream maybe divided by a non-1:1 ratio of blocks to each of the video decoders30A and 30B. For instance, two blocks may be provided to the videodecoder 30B for each block provided to the video decoder 30A. In someembodiments, the division of the bitstream by the demux 99 may bepreprogrammed. In other embodiments, the demux 99 may divide thebitstream based on a control signal received from a system external tothe video decoder 33, such as from a processor on a destination deviceincluding the destination module 14. The control signal may be generatedbased on the resolution or bitrate of a video from the input interface28, based on a bandwidth of the link 16, based on a subscriptionassociated with a user (e.g., a paid subscription versus a freesubscription), or based on any other factor for determining a resolutionobtainable by the video decoder 33.

Intra Random Access Point (IRAP) Pictures

Some video coding schemes may provide various random access pointsthroughout the bitstream such that the bitstream may be decoded startingfrom any of those random access points without needing to decode anypictures that precede those random access points in the bitstream. Insuch video coding schemes, all pictures that follow a random accesspoint in output order (e.g., including those pictures that are in thesame access unit as the picture providing the random access point) canbe correctly decoded without using any pictures that precede the randomaccess point. For example, even if a portion of the bitstream is lostduring transmission or during decoding, a decoder can resume decodingthe bitstream starting from the next random access point. Support forrandom access may facilitate, for example, dynamic streaming services,seek operations, channel switching, etc.

In some coding schemes, such random access points may be provided bypictures that are referred to as intra random access point (IRAP)pictures. For example, a random access point (e.g., provided by anenhancement layer IRAP picture) in an enhancement layer (“layerA”)contained in an access unit (“auA”) may provide layer-specific randomaccess such that for each reference layer (“layerB”) of layerA (e.g., areference layer being a layer that is used to predict layerA) having arandom access point contained in an access unit (“auB”) that is inlayerB and precedes auA in decoding order (or a random access pointcontained in auA), the pictures in layerA that follow auB in outputorder (including those pictures located in auB), are correctly decodablewithout needing to decode any pictures in layerA that precede auB.

IRAP pictures may be coded using intra prediction (e.g., coded withoutreferring to other pictures), and may include, for example,instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) pictures, clean random access (CRA)pictures, and broken link access (BLA) pictures. When there is an IDRpicture in the bitstream, all the pictures that precede the IDR picturein decoding order are not used for prediction by pictures that followthe IDR picture in decoding order. When there is a CRA picture in thebitstream, the pictures that follow the CRA picture may or may not usepictures that precede the CRA picture in decoding order for prediction.Those pictures that follow the CRA picture in decoding order but usepictures that precede the CRA picture in decoding order may be referredto as random access skipped leading (RASL) pictures. Another type ofpicture that follows an IRAP picture in decoding order and precedes theIRAP picture in output order is a random access decodable leading (RADL)picture, which may not contain references to any pictures that precedethe IRAP picture in decoding order. RASL pictures may be discarded bythe decoder if the pictures that precede the CRA picture are notavailable. A BLA picture indicates to the decoder that pictures thatprecede the BLA picture may not be available to the decoder (e.g.,because two bitstreams are spliced together and the BLA picture is thefirst picture of the second bitstream in decoding order). An access unit(e.g., a group of pictures consisting of all the coded picturesassociated with the same output time across multiple layers) containinga base layer picture (e.g., a picture having a layer ID value of 0) thatis an IRAP picture may be referred to as an IRAP access unit.

Cross-Layer Alignment of IRAP Pictures

In SVC, IRAP pictures may not be required to be aligned (e.g., containedin the same access unit) across different layers. For example, if IRAPpictures were required to be aligned, any access unit containing atleast one IRAP picture would only contain IRAP pictures. On the otherhand, if IRAP pictures were not required to be aligned, in a singleaccess unit, one picture (e.g., in a first layer) may be an IRAPpicture, and another picture (e.g., in a second layer) may be a non-IRAPpicture. Having such non-aligned IRAP pictures in a bitstream mayprovide some advantages. For example, in a two-layer bitstream, if thereare more IRAP pictures in the base layer than in the enhancement layer,in broadcast and multicast applications, low tune-in delay and highcoding efficiency can be achieved.

In some video coding schemes, a picture order count (POC) may be used tokeep track of the relative order in which the decoded pictures aredisplayed. Some of such coding schemes may cause the POC values to bereset (e.g., set to zero or set to some value signaled in the bitstream)whenever certain types of pictures appear in the bitstream. For example,the POC values of certain IRAP pictures may be reset, causing the POCvalues of other pictures preceding those IRAP pictures in decoding orderto also be reset. This may be problematic when the IRAP pictures are notrequired to be aligned across different layers. For example, when onepicture (“picA”) is an IRAP picture and another picture (“picB”) in thesame access unit is not an IRAP picture, the POC value of a picture(“picC”), which is reset due to picA being an IRAP picture, in the layercontaining picA may be different from the POC value of a picture(“picD”), which is not reset, in the layer containing picB, where picCand picD are in the same access unit. This causes picC and picD to havedifferent POC values even though they belong to the same access unit(e.g., same output time). Thus, in this example, the derivation processfor deriving the POC values of picC and picD can be modified to producePOC values that are consistent with the definition of POC values andaccess units.

Layer Initialization Picture (LIP)

In some coding schemes, a layer initialization picture (“LIP picture”)may be defined as a picture that is an IRAP picture that has aNoRaslOutputFlag flag (e.g., a flag that indicates that RASL picturesare not to be output if set to 1 and indicates that RASL pictures are tobe output if set to 0) set to 1 or a picture that is contained aninitial IRAP access unit, which is an IRAP access unit in which the baselayer picture (e.g., a picture having a layer ID of 0 or smallest layerID defined in the bitstream) has the NoRaslOutputFlag set to 1.

In some embodiments, an SPS can be activated at each LIP picture. Forexample, each IRAP picture that has a NoRaslOutputFlag flag set to 1 oreach picture that is contained in an initial IRAP access unit, a newSPS, which may be different (e.g., specifying different pictureresolutions, etc.) from the SPS that was previously activated. However,in a case where the LIP picture is not an IRAP picture (e.g., anypicture contained in an initial IRAP access unit) and the base layerpicture in the initial IRAP access unit is an IDR picture with a flagNoClrasOutputFlag flag (e.g., a flag that indicates that cross-layerrandom access skip pictures are not to be output if set to 1 andindicates that cross-layer random access skip pictures are to be outputif set to 0) set to 0, the LIP picture should not be allowed to activatea new SPS. If a new SPS is activated at such the LIP picture in such acase, particularly when the contents of the SPS RBSP of the new SPS isdifferent from that of the SPS that was previously active prior to theinitial IRAP access unit, there could be problems in differing pictureresolutions and error resilience. For example, the new SPS may updatethe resolution and use temporal prediction to refer to pictures ofdifferent sizes.

Bumping and Flushing of Pictures

Pictures that are decoded (e.g., so that they can be displayed or usedto predict other pictures) are stored in a decoded picture buffer (DPB).The pictures that are to be output may be marked as “needed for output,”and the pictures that are to be used to predict other pictures may bemarked as “used for reference.” Decoded pictures that are neither markedas “needed for output” nor as “used for reference” (e.g., pictures thatwere initially marked as “used for reference” or “needed for output” butsubsequently marked as “not used for reference” or “not needed foroutput”) may be present in the DPB until they are removed by thedecoding process. In output order conformant decoders, the process ofremoving pictures from the DPB often immediately follows the output ofpictures that are marked as “needed for output.” This process of outputand subsequent removal may be referred to as “bumping.”

There are also situations where the decoder may remove the pictures inthe DPB without output, even though these pictures may be marked as“needed for output.” For ease of description herein, decoded picturesthat are present in the DPB at the time of decoding an IRAP picture(regardless of whether the decoded pictures are marked as “needed foroutput” or “used for reference”) are referred to as “lagging DPBpictures” associated with the IRAP picture or “associated lagging DPBpictures” of the IRAP picture. Some examples of such situations, in theHEVC context, are described below.

In one example, when a CRA picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to avalue of “1” is present in the middle of a bitstream (e.g., not thefirst picture in the bitstream), the lagging DPB pictures associatedwith the CRA picture would not be output and would be removed from theDPB. Such situations are likely to occur at splice points, where twobitstreams are joined together and the first picture of the latterbitstream is a CRA picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of“1”. In another example, when an IRAP picture picA that hasNoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of “1” and that is not a CRA picture(e.g., an IDR picture) is present in the middle of a bitstream and theresolution of the picture changes at picA (e.g., with the activation ofa new SPS), the associated lagging DPB pictures of picA may be removedfrom the DPB before they can be output, because if the associatedlagging DPB pictures continue to occupy the DPB, decoding of thepictures starting from picA may become problematic, for example, due tobuffer overflow. In this case, the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag(e.g., a flag that indicates that pictures that were previously decodedand stored in the DPB should be removed from the DPB without beingoutput if set to 1, and indicates that pictures that were previouslydecoded and stored in the DPB should not be removed from the DPB withoutbeing output if set to 0) associated with picA should be set equal to avalue of “1” by the encoder or splicer, or NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag(e.g., a derived value that may be determined based on the informationincluded in the bitstream) may be derived to be equal to a value of “1”by the decoder, to flush the lagging pictures without output out of theDPB. The splicing operation is described further below with respect toFIG. 4.

This process of removing associated lagging DPB pictures from the DPBwithout output may be referred to as “flushing.” Even in situations notdescribed above, an IRAP picture may specify the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag equal to a value of “1”, so that thedecoder will flush the associated DPB lagging pictures of the IRAPpicture.

Bitstream Including a Splice Point

With reference to FIG. 4, an example bitstream having a splice pointwill be described. FIG. 4 shows a multi-layer bitstream 400 created bysplicing bitstreams 410 and 420. The bitstream 410 includes anenhancement layer (EL) 410A and a base layer (BL) 410B, and thebitstream 420 includes an EL 420A and a BL 420B. The EL 410A includes anEL picture 412A, and the BL 410B includes a BL picture 412B. The EL 420Aincludes EL pictures 422A, 424A, and 426A, and the BL 420B includes BLpictures 422B, 424B, and 426B. The multi-layer bitstream 400 furtherincludes access units (AUs) 430-460. The AU 430 includes the EL picture412A and the BL picture 412B, the AU 440 includes the EL picture 422Aand the BL picture 422B, the AU 450 includes the EL picture 424A and theBL picture 424B, and the AU 460 includes the EL picture 426A and the BLpicture 426B. In the example of FIG. 4, the BL picture 422B is an IRAPpicture, and the corresponding EL picture 422A in the AU 440 is atrailing picture (e.g., a non-IRAP picture), and consequently, the AU440 is a non-aligned IRAP AU. Also, it should be noted that the AU 440is an access unit that immediately follows a splice point 470.

Although the example of FIG. 4 illustrates a case where two differentbitstreams are joined together, in some embodiments, a splice point maybe present when a portion of the bitstream is removed. For example, abitstream may have portions A, B, and C, portion B being betweenportions A and C. If portion B is removed from the bitstream, theremaining portions A and C may be joined together, and the point atwhich they are joined together may be referred to as a splice point.More generally, a splice point as discussed in the present applicationmay be deemed to be present when one or more signaled or derivedparameters or flags have predetermined values. For example, withoutreceiving a specific indication that a splice point exists at aparticular location, a decoder may determine the value of a flag (e.g.,NoClrasOutputFlag), and perform one or more techniques described in thisapplication based on the value of the flag.

Flushing of Pictures in Multi-Layer Context

The process of flushing pictures is also relevant in multi-layerbitstreams. More specifically, it is relevant to all pictures thatbelong to an initial TRAP access unit, and also to TRAP pictures thatare not in an initial IRAP access unit. As described above, in someexisting implementations such as SHVC and MV-HEVC, an IRAP access unitmay be defined as an access unit containing an IRAP picture that hasnuh_layer_id equal to a value of “0” (regardless of whether otherpictures in the access unit are IRAP pictures), and an initial IRAPaccess unit may be defined as an access unit containing an IRAP picturethat has nuh_layer_id equal to a value of “0” and that hasNoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of “1” (again regardless of whetherother pictures in the access unit are IRAP pictures).

With the possibility of having non-aligned IRAP pictures in access units(e.g., an access unit may contain both IRAP pictures and non-IRAPpictures) in SHVC and MV-HEVC, the situations described in the previoussection in the context of HEVC can occur in different layers of anSHVC/MV-HEVC bitstream. For example, a CRA picture picA that hasNoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of “1” may be present at anenhancement layer in the middle of a bitstream (e.g., not in the firstaccess unit of the bitstream) that starts with an initial IRAP accessunit that does not have a CRA picture in the same layer as picA. Also,the resolution change of a picture could occur at IRAP pictures in anenhancement layer at an access unit where the resolution of the baselayer does not change, or vice versa. Similar situations may arise fordifferent DPB sizes.

Flushing of Pictures in SVC and MVC

Due to the single-loop coding design of SVC, only one reconstructedpicture per access unit is inserted in the DPB, except for cases whenthe so-called medium-granular scalability (MGS) is in use (in which casethere can be two decoded pictures from the so-called key-picture accessunits that are stored in the DPB). However, in each access unit only thedecoded picture of the highest layer may be output. Operations formanaging the DPB, including the flushing of pictures, therefore, onlyconcern pictures in the highest layer, mainly because a decoded pictureof a base layer is not required to be present in the DPB in order topredict the enhancement layer.

In MVC, more than one view may be target output view, and decoded viewcomponents need to be maintained to predict view components in otherlayer, even if they are not needed to predict view components in thesame layer. Therefore, view components from more than one view may bepresent in the DPB. The flag no_output_of prior_pics_flag is signaledfor each IDR view component (e.g., an IDR view component of a non-baseview is signaled with non_idr_flag equal to a value of “0”), and theflushing of view components is layer-specific (or view-specific). InMVC, for simplicity, the IDR view components in an access unit in MVCare aligned. For example, if one view component in an access unit is anIDR view component, all the view components in that access unit are alsoIDR view components. Hence, flushing operation is also performed acrossall views in the bitstream, even though the operation may beview/layer-specific.

Flushing of Pictures in SHVC and MV-HEVC

When flushing occurs under the current design in SHVC and MV-HEVC, allthe pictures in the DPB are removed without being outputted (e.g.,displayed). It is not possible that pictures of only one layer in thebitstream (except in the trivial case when only the base layer ispresent in the bitstream) are flushed, therefore the flushing is notlayer-specific.

Output Timing Conformance

In some implementations (e.g., SHVC, MV-HEVC, etc.), such as SHVCWorking Draft (WD) 3 and MV-HEVC Working Draft 5, the output and removalof pictures from the DPB for output timing conformance are performed asdescribed below. The portions relevant to the flushing process are shownin italics. In the example below, the removal of pictures invoked isspecific to each layer, as specified in Section F.13.3.2 of the HEVCspecification.

TABLE 1 Output Timing Conformance in SHVC WD 3 and MV-HEVC WD 5 C.3.2  Removal of pictures from the DPB The removal of pictures from the DPBbefore decoding of the current picture (but after parsing the sliceheader of the first slice of the current picture) happensinstantaneously at the CPB removal time of the first decoding unit ofaccess unit n (containing the current picture) and proceeds asfollows: - The decoding process for RPS as specified in subclause 8.3.2is invoked. - When the current picture is an IRAP picture withNoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1 that is not picture 0, the following orderedsteps are applied: 1. The variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is derivedfor the decoder under test as follows: - If the current picture is a CRApicture, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to 1 (regardless of thevalue of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag). - Otherwise, if the value ofpic_width_in_luma_samples, pic_height_in_luma_samples, orsps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[ HighestTid ] derived from the activeSPS is different from the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples, or sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[HighestTid ] , respectively, derived from the SPS active for thepreceding picture, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may (but should not) be setto 1 by the decoder under test, regardless of the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag. NOTE - Although settingNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to no_output_of_prior_pics_flag ispreferred under these conditions, the decoder under test is allowed to setNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1 in this case. - Otherwise,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to no_output_of_prior_pics_flag. 2.The value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag derived for the decoder under testis applied for the HRD, such that when the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equal to 1, all picture storage buffers inthe DPB are emptied without output of the pictures they contain, and theDPB fullness is set equal to 0. - When both of the following conditionsare true for any pictures k in the DPB, all such pictures k in the DPBare removed from the DPB: - picture k is marked as “unused forreference” - picture k has PicOutputFlag equal to 0 or its DPB outputtime is less than or equal to the CPB removal time of the first decodingunit (denoted as decoding unit m) of the current picture n; i.e.DpbOutputTime[ k ] is less than or equal to CpbRemovalTime( m ) - Foreach picture that is removed from the DPB, the DPB fullness isdecremented by one. F.13.3.21  Removal of pictures from the DPB Thespecifications in subclause C.3.2 apply separately for each set ofdecoded pictures with a particular value of nuh_layer_id with thefollowing modifications. - Replace “The removal of pictures from the DPBbefore decoding of the current picture (but after parsing the sliceheader of the first slice of the current picture) happensinstantaneously at the CPB removal time of the first decoding unit ofaccess unit n (containing the current picture) and proceeds as follows:”with “The removal of pictures from the DPB before decoding of thecurrent picture (but after parsing the slice header of the first sliceof the current picture) happens instantaneously at the CPB removal timeof the first decoding unit of the picture n and proceeds as follows:”.Output Order Conformance

In some implementations (e.g., SHVC, MV-HEVC, etc.), the output andremoval of pictures from the DPB for output order conformance areperformed as described below. The portions relevant to the flushingprocess are shown in italics. In the example below, the removal ofpictures, when invoked, is performed for all layers.

TABLE 2 Output Order Conformance in SHVC WD 3 and MV-HEVC WD 5F.13.5.2.2  Output and removal of pictures from the DPB The output andremoval of pictures from the DPB before the decoding of the currentpicture (but after parsing the slice header of the first slice of thecurrent picture) happens instantaneously when the first decoding unit ofthe current picture is removed from the CPB and proceeds as follows: Thedecoding process for RPS as specified in subclause F.8.3.2 is invoked. -If the current picture is an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to1 and with nuh_layer_id equal to 0 that is not picture 0, the followingordered steps are applied: 1. The variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag isderived for the decoder under test as follows: - If the current pictureis a CRA picture, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to 1 (regardlessof the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag). Otherwise, if the valueof pic_width_in_luma_samples, pic_height_in_luma_samples, orsps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[ HighestTid ] derived from the activeSPS is different from the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples, or sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[HighestTid ] , respectively, derived from the SPS active for thepreceding picture, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may (but should not) be setto 1 by the decoder under test, regardless of the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag. NOTE—Although settingNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to no_output_of_prior_pics_flag ispreferred under these conditions, the decoder under test is allowed toset NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1 in this case. - Otherwise,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to no_output_of_prior_pics_flag. 2.The value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag derived for the decoder under testis applied for the HRD as follows: - If NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equalto 1, all picture storage buffers in the DPB are emptied without outputof the pictures they contain, and the DPB fullness is set equal to 0. -Otherwise (NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equal to 0), all picture storagebuffers containing a picture that is marked as “not needed for output”and “unused for reference” are emptied (without output), and allnon-empty picture storage buffers in the DPB are emptied by repeatedlyinvoking the “bumping” process specified in subclause F.13.5.2.4, andthe DPB fullness is set equal to 0. - Otherwise (the current picture isnot an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1 or withnuh_layer_id not equal to 0), all picture storage buffers containing apicture which are marked as “not needed for output” and “unused forreference” are emptied (without output). For each picture storage bufferthat is emptied, the DPB fullness is decremented by one. The variablecurrLayerId is set equal to nuh_layer_id of the current decoded pictureand when one or more of the following conditions are true, the “bumping”process specified in subclause F.13.5.2.4 is invoked repeatedly whilefurther decrementing the DPB fullness by one for each additional picturestorage buffer that is emptied, until none of the following conditionsare true: - The number of pictures with nuh_layer_id equal tocurrLayerId in the DPB that are marked as “needed for output” is greaterthan sps_max_num_reorder_pics[ HighestTid ] from the active SPS (whencurrLayerId is equal to 0) or from the active layer SPS for the value ofcurrLayerId (when currLayerId is not equal to 0). -sps_max_latency_increase_plus1[ HighestTid ] of the active SPS (whencurrLayerId is equal to 0) or the active layer SPS for the value ofcurrLayerId is not equal to 0 and there is at least one picture withnuh_layer_id equal to currLayerId in the DPB that is marked as “neededfor output” for which the associated variable PicLatencyCount[currLayerId ] is greater than or equal to SpsMaxLatencyPictures[HighestTid ] derived from the active SPS (when currLayerId is equal to0) or from the active layer SPS for the value of currLayerId. - Thenumber of pictures with nuh_layer_id equal to currLayerId in the DPB isgreater than or equal to sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[ HighestTid] + 1 from the active SPS (when currLayerId is equal to 0) or from theactive layer SPS for the value of currLayerId.Comparison of Output Timing Conformance and Output Order Conformance

As described above, the output timing conformance and output orderconformance may not both result in the same flushing behavior. Forexample, for output timing conformance decoders, the flushing is invokedfor each picture in a layer that is not the first picture of the layerin the bitstream and that has NoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of “1”.When the flushing is invoked, all decoded pictures of that layer in theDPB are flushed. On the other hand, for output order conformancedecoders, the flushing is only invoked for a picture in the base layerthat is not the first picture in the bitstream and that hasNoRaslOutputFlag equal to a value of “1.” When the flushing is invoked,all decoded pictures of all layers in the DPB are flushed.

In a bitstream having two layers, when a LIP picture in the EL that isan IRAP picture and does not belong to an IRAP AU activates a differentresolution, and the resolution of the BL cannot change at this AU due tothe BL picture being in an non-IRAP AU (e.g., not an IRAP picture), alayer-specific flushing of pictures may be desired. Here, only picturesfrom the EL, but not from the BL, are to be flushed. This feature is notavailable for output order conformance.

In a bitstream having two layers, in a case where an access unitincludes a BL picture that is an IDR picture and an EL picture that is anon-IRAP picture, the resolution of the BL picture may be updated at theaccess unit, whereas the resolution of the EL picture is not updated. Insuch a case, flushing should be performed only for the pictures from theBL, and the EL pictures should not be flushed. This feature is notavailable for output order conformance.

Signaling of Flag Indicating Output of Prior Pictures

In some embodiments, the variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag (e.g., a valuederived by the decoder to determine, when decoding an IRAP picture,whether or not to output the pictures in the DPB before the DPB isflushed) is derived based on no_output_of_prior_pics_flag and otherconditions. For example, no_output_of_prior_pics_flag may be a valuethat is signaled in the bitstream, whereas NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag maybe a value derived by an encoder based on the information included inthe bitstream. A decoder may derive the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagbased on the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag and other conditions,and then use the derived value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to determinewhether to output pictures or not. In some embodiments, the flagNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may indicate whether the current access unitcomprises a splice point, at which two different bitstreams are stitchedtogether.

In some embodiments, NoClRasOutputFlag and NoRaslOutputFlag may bevariables derived based on the information included in the bitstream.For example, NoRaslOutputFlag may be derived for every IRAP picture(e.g., in BL and/or EL), and NoClRasOutputFlag may be derived only forthe lowest layer pictures (e.g., BL pictures). The value of each ofNoClRasOutputFlag and NoRaslOutputFlag may indicate that some picturesin the bitstream may not be correctly decodable due to theunavailability of certain reference pictures. Such unavailability ofreference pictures may occur at random access points. Cross-layer randomaccess skip (CL-RAS) pictures are, in some ways, the multi-layerequivalent of RASL pictures. If a decoder starts decoding a bitstream ata random access point (e.g., an access unit having a BL IRAP picture),and the EL picture in the access unit is not an IRAP picture, then thatEL picture is a CL-RAS picture. All pictures in the EL may be CL-RASpictures (e.g., decodable, but not correctly decodable) until an IRAPpicture occurs in the EL. When such an EL IRAP picture is provided inthe bitstream, the EL may be said to have been initialized.

For example, in the example of FIG. 4, the EL picture 422A may be a LIPpicture that is not an IRAP picture, and the BL picture 422B may be anIRAP picture that has a flag NoClRasOutputFlag associated therewith. Inthis example, the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated with theEL picture 422A may be inferred based on the value of NoClRasOutputFlagassociated with the BL picture 422B. For example, if NoClRasOutputFlagis equal to a value of “1”, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag for the EL picture422A may also be set to a value of “1”, causing the pictures in the DPBto be not output before they are removed from the DPB. On the otherhand, if NoClRasOutputFlag is equal to a value of “0”,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag for the EL picture 422A may also be set to avalue of “0”, causing the pictures in the DPB to be removed from the DPBafter output.

Improved Inference of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag

As explained above, intra random access point (IRAP) pictures canprovide random access points for decoding a bitstream. A decoder maystart decoding a bitstream by decoding an IRAP picture without having todecode pictures that precede the IRAP picture. At the time of decodingan IRAP picture, the decoded picture buffer (DPB) may have a number ofdecoded pictures in the buffer. Pictures that have been decoded from abitstream are stored in the DPB. The decoded pictures in the DPB caninclude pictures that are marked as “needed for output” or pictures thatare marked as “used for reference.” The decoded pictures in the DPB canalso include pictures that are neither marked as “needed for output” noras “used for reference”; such decoded pictures are present in the DPBuntil they are removed by the decoding process. If outputting theexisting pictures in the DPB would affect the performance of the decoder(e.g., too many pictures exist in the DPB for the decoder to output), itmay be desirable to remove such existing pictures without outputtingthem (e.g., flush the existing pictures). Not removing existing picturesin the DPB as needed may lead to an overflow of the buffer or a delay indecoding and outputting subsequent pictures.

The variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can indicate, when decoding an IRAPpicture, whether pictures in the DPB should be output prior to beingremoved from the DPB. When decoding an IRAP picture, the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can be set to 1 when the pictures in the DPBshould not be output before being removed. Alternatively, when decodingan IRAP picture, the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can be set to 0when the pictures in the DPB should be output before being removed. Thevalue of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may be determined based on acorresponding syntax element and/or various conditions and information.The syntax element no_output_of_prior_pics_flag may be received in thebitstream, and the decoder can set the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagequal to the decoded value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag. Or the valueof NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag can be derived or inferred based on variousconditions. For example, in early versions of SHVC and MV-HEVC (e.g.,SHVC Working Draft 4 and MV-HEVC Working Draft 6),NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may be set equal to 1 when the spatialresolution or the number of picture stores changes. By settingNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1, the decoder can control the amount ofmemory available in the DPB by removing pictures in the DPB asappropriate. However, the amount of memory needed in the DPB may also beaffected by changes in the color format and/or the bit depth ofpictures. Unless the worst-case or maximum color format or bit depth areassumed, not considering the color format and/or the bit depth may leadto a sub-optimal memory size for the DPB.

In order to address these and other challenges, the techniques accordingto certain aspects can take into consideration the color format and/orthe bit depth of pictures when determining the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag for IRAP pictures. For example, the techniquesmay determine whether the color format and/or the bit depth of thecurrent picture in the current layer to be decoded are different fromthe color format and/or the bit depth of the preceding picture in thecurrent layer. The color format and/or the bit depth of the currentpicture and the preceding picture may be obtained from the currentlyactive sequence parameter set (SPS) and the SPS that was active when thepreceding picture was decoded, respectively. The bit depth of a picturecan include a bit depth for the luma component of the picture and a bitdepth for the chroma component of the picture. If there are changes inthe color format or the bit depth, the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagmay be set equal to 1 to trigger removal of pictures in the DPB withoutoutputting the pictures. In one example, if the bit depth of lumasamples changes from 8 bits to 16 bits, it would be desirable to flushthe pictures in the DPB to make more memory available in the DPB.

By taking into account changes in the color format and/or the bit depthof pictures, the techniques can determine the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag more accurately, and an optimal value of DPBsize that is required and sufficient for decoding of a bitstream can beindicated. For example, the techniques can better anticipate situationsthat would require additional memory in the buffer. In addition tochanges in the number of picture stores and the spatial resolution, theDPB is flushed to make more storage available when the color format orthe bit depth changes.

Certain details relating to the inference of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag areexplained further below. Various terms used throughout this disclosureare broad terms having their ordinary meaning.

Example Embodiment

The above mentioned techniques can be implemented as shown in thefollowing example. The example is provided in the context of earlierversions of SHVC and MV-HEVC (e.g., SHVC WD 4 and MV-HEVC WD 6). Changesfrom the earlier versions of SHVC and MV-HEVC are indicated in italics.Section C.3.2 describes the output timing DPB operations on pictureremoval in SHVC WD 4 and MV-HEVC WD 6. Section C.5.2.2 describes theoutput order DPB operations on picture removal in SHVC WD 4 and MV-HEVCWD 6. The first “Otherwise” branch in each section relates to theinference of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag based on chroma format and bitdepth of pictures.

TABLE 3 Example Embodiment C.3.2 Removal of pictures from the DPB Whenthe current picture is not picture 0 in the current layer, the removalof pictures in the current layer from the DPB before decoding of thecurrent picture, i.e. picture n, but after parsing the slice header ofthe first slice of the current picture, happens instantaneously at theCPB removal time of the first decoding unit of the current picture andproceeds as follows: - The decoding process for RPS as specified insubclause 8.3.2 is invoked. - When the current picture is an IRAPpicture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, or the base layer picture inthe current access unit is an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equalto 1 and NoClrasOutputFlag is equal to 1, the following ordered stepsare applied: 1. The variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is derived for thedecoder under test as follows: - If the current picture is a CRA picturewith NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to 1 (regardless of the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag). - Otherwise, if the current picture is anIRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1 andthe  value  of  pic_width_in_luma_samples,  pic_height_in_luma_samples,chroma_format_idc,   bit_depth_luma_minus8,  bit_depth_chroma_minus8,  or sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[HighestTid ] derived from the active SPS for the current layer isdifferent from the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples,  chroma_format_idc,  bit_depth_luma_minus8,bit_depth_chroma_minus8, or sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[ HighestTid] , respectively, derived from the SPS that was active for the currentlayer when decoding the preceding picture in the current layer,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may (but should not) be set to 1 by the decoderunder test, regardless of the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag.NOTE - Although setting NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal tono_output_of_prior_pics_flag is preferred under these conditions, thedecoder under test is allowed to set NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1 inthis case. - Otherwise, if the current picture is an IRAP picture withNoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal tono_output_of_prior_pics_flag. - Otherwise (the current picture is not anIRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, the base layer picture inthe current access unit is an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equalto 1, and NoClrasOutputFlag is equal to 1), NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag isset equal to 1. 2. The value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag derived for thedecoder under test is applied for the HRD, such that when the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equal to 1, all picture storage buffers inthe DPB are emptied without output of the pictures they contain, and theDPB fullness is set equal to 0. - When both of the following conditionsare true for any pictures k in the DPB, all such pictures k in the DPBare removed from the DPB: - picture k is marked as “unused forreference” - picture k has PicOutputFlag equal to 0 or its DPB outputtime is less than or equal to the CPB removal time of the first decodingunit (denoted as decoding unit m) of the current picture n; i.e.DpbOutputTime[ k ] is less than or equal to CpbRemovalTime( m ) - Foreach picture that is removed from the DPB, the DPB fullness isdecremented by one. C.5.2.2 Output and removal of pictures from the DPBWhen the current picture is not picture 0 in the current layer, theoutput and removal of pictures in the current layer from the DPB beforethe decoding of the current picture , i.e. picture n, but after parsingthe slice header of the first slice of the current picture, happensinstantaneously when the first decoding unit of the current picture isremoved from the CPB and proceeds as follows: - The decoding process forRPS as specified in subclause 8.3.2 is invoked. - If the current pictureis an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, or the base layerpicture in the current access unit is an IRAP picture withNoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1 and NoClrasOutputFlag is equal to 1, thefollowing ordered steps are applied: 1. The variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is derived for the decoder under test asfollows: -If the current picture is a CRA picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to 1 (regardless of the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag). - Otherwise, if the current picture is anIRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1 andthe  value  of  pic_width_in_luma_samples,  pic_height_in_luma_samples,chroma_format_idc,  bit_depth_luma_minus8,  bit_depth_chroma_minus8,  orsps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[ HighestTid ] derived from the activeSPS for the current layer is different from the value ofpic_width_in_luma_samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples,  chroma_format_idc,  bit_depth_luma_minus8,bit_depth_chroma_minus8,  or  sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus1[HighestTid ] , respectively, derived from the SPS that was active forthe current layer when decoding the preceding picture in the currentlayer, NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may (but should not) be set to 1 by thedecoder under test, regardless of the value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag. NOTE - Although settingNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to no_output_of_prior_pics_flag ispreferred under these conditions, the decoder under test is allowed to setNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1 in this case. - Otherwise, if the currentpicture is an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equal to no_output_of prior_pics_flag. -Otherwise (the current picture is not an IRAP picture withNoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, the base layer picture in the currentaccess unit is an IRAP picture with NoRaslOutputFlag equal to 1, andNoClrasOutputFlag is equal to 1), NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is set equalto 1. 2. The value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag derived for the decoderunder test is applied for the HRD as follows: - IfNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equal to 1, all picture storage buffers inthe sub-DPB are emptied without output of the pictures they contain, andthe sub-DPB fullness is set equal to 0. - Otherwise(NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is equal to 0), all picture storage bufferscontaining a picture that is marked as “not needed for output” and“unused for reference” are emptied (without output), and all non-emptypicture storage buffers in the sub-DPB are emptied by repeatedlyinvoking the “bumping” process specified in subclause C.5.2.4, and thesub-DPB fullness is set equal to 0. - Otherwise, all picture storagebuffers that contain a picture in the current layer and that are markedas “not needed for output” and “unused for reference” are emptied(without output). For each picture storage buffer that is emptied, thesub-DPB fullness is decremented by one. When one or more of thefollowing conditions are true, the “bumping” process specified insubclause C.5.2.4 is invoked repeatedly while further decrementing thesub-DPB fullness by one for each additional picture storage buffer thatis emptied, until none of the following conditions are true: - Thenumber of access units that contain at least one decoded picture in theDPB marked as “needed for output” is greater than MaxNumReorderPics. -MaxLatencyIncreasePlus1 is not equal to 0 and there is at least oneaccess units that contain at least one decoded picture in the DPB markedas “needed for output” for which the associated variable PicLatencyCountis greater than or equal to MaxLatencyPictures. - The number of picturesin the current layer in the sub-DPB is greater than or equal toMaxDecPicBufferingMinus1 + 1.

According to some embodiments, the syntax elements and variables used inthe inference of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may refer to the following:

-   -   The syntax element pic_width_in_luma_samples refers to the width        of a picture in units of luma samples.    -   The syntax element pic_height_in_luma_samples refers to the        height of a picture in units of luma samples.    -   The syntax element chroma_format_idc refers to the chroma format        of a picture.    -   The syntax element bit_depth_luma_minus8 refers to the bit depth        of the luma samples of a picture minus 8 bits.    -   The syntax element bit_depth_chroma_minus8 refers to the bit        depth of the chroma samples of a picture minus 8 bits.    -   The syntax element sps_max_dec_pic_buffering_minus 1        [HighestTid] refers to the number of picture stores that is        required for decoding of a layer of a coded video sequence.

The above syntax elements can be derived from the active SPS for thecurrent layer in connection with the current picture of the currentlayer that is being decoded. The above syntax elements can also bederived in connection with the preceding picture of the current layerfrom the SPS that was active for the current layer when the precedingpicture was decoded. The preceding picture may be a picture in thecurrent layer that precedes the current picture in decoding order.

If a picture is an TRAP picture and the value of NoRaslOutputFlag isequal to 1 for the IRAP picture, the value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagmay be set to 1 if any values of the above syntax elements for thecurrent picture differ from the values of the respective syntax elementsfor the preceding picture. The variable NoRaslOutputFlag can indicatewhether any random access skipped leading (RASL) pictures are output inassociation with the current picture. If NoRaslOutputFlag is equal to 1,some reference pictures the RASL pictures refer to for inter predictionwould not be present, and therefore, the RASL pictures should not beoutput/displayed. As explained above, RASL pictures may refer to leadingpictures associated with an IRAP picture that should not beoutput/displayed if decoding of the bitstream starts from that IRAPpicture. The decoder can compare each syntax element of the currentpicture with the corresponding syntax element of the preceding picture,and if the value of any syntax element has changed,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag may be set to 1, regardless of what the value ofthe syntax element no_output_of_prior_pics_flag is. As the text of thespecification indicates, it may be preferable to set the value ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to the value of the syntax elementno_output_of_prior_pics_flag. But the decoder is allowed to set thevalue of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag to 1, if desired. For example, in somecases, the DPB size is large enough that even if the value of the firstflag is set to equal to the decoded value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag, a DPB size overflow would not occur. Insuch cases, it can be beneficial to allow the decoder to choose whetherto set the value of the first flag equal to 1 or equal to the decodedvalue of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag.

In one embodiment, the value of chroma_format_idc changes from thepreceding picture to the current picture. As explained above, the valuesfor the syntax elements are derived from the SPS for the current layerthat is active when decoding the current picture of the current layerand the SPS for the current layer that was active when decoding thepreceding picture of the current layer. When the value ofchroma_format_idc of the current picture and the value ofchroma_format_idc of the preceding picture are different, the decodersets the value of NoOutputofPriorPicsFlag to 1, regardless of what thevalue of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag syntax element is.

In another embodiment, the value of bit_depth_luma_minus8 changes fromthe preceding picture to the current picture. When the value ofbit_depth_luma_minus8 of the current picture and the value ofbit_depth_luma_minus8 of the preceding picture are different, thedecoder sets the value of NoOutputofPriorPicsFlag to 1, regardless ofwhat the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag syntax element is.

In yet another embodiment, the value of bit_depth_chroma_minus8 changesfrom the preceding picture to the current picture. When the value ofbit_depth_chroma_minus8 of the current picture and the value ofbit_depth_chroma_minus8 of the preceding picture are different, thedecoder sets the value of NoOutputofPriorPicsFlag to 1, regardless ofwhat the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag syntax element is.

Generally, more memory is needed in the DPB when the value of the abovesyntax elements increases from the preceding picture to the currentpicture, rather than when the value of the above syntax elementsdecreases. However, the decoder can obtain a sufficient amount of memoryin the DPB by removing pictures in the DPB without output whenever thevalues of the above syntax elements change, whether by increasing ordecreasing. In this way, additional memory can be freed in the DPB usingone conditional step, rather than using multiple steps to considerwhether the value of the syntax elements increased or decreased.Checking for changes in the values of the syntax elements, instead ofdetermining whether the values increased or decreased, can make theinference process for NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag more efficient.

Method of Determining Value of NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of coding video information,according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The methodrelates to determining the value of a flag that indicates whetherpictures in the decoded picture buffer should be output (e.g.,NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag). The process 500 may be performed by an encoder(e.g., the encoder as shown in FIG. 2A, 2B, etc.), a decoder (e.g., thedecoder as shown in FIG. 3A, 3B, etc.), or any other component,depending on the embodiment. The blocks of the process 500 are describedwith respect to the decoder 33 in FIG. 3B, but the process 500 may beperformed by other components, such as an encoder, as mentioned above.The layer 1 video decoder 30B of the decoder 33 and/or the layer 0decoder 30A of the decoder 33 may perform the process 500, depending onthe embodiment. All embodiments described with respect to FIG. 5 may beimplemented separately, or in combination with one another. Certaindetails relating to the process 500 are explained above, e.g., withrespect to FIG. 4.

The process 500 starts at block 501. The decoder 33 can include a memory(e.g., decoded picture buffer 160) for storing video informationassociated with a current layer for decoding.

At block 502, the decoder 33 obtains the chroma format of a currentpicture of the current layer to be decoded, the bit depth of chromasamples of the current picture, and the bit depth of luma sample of thecurrent picture. The current picture may be an intra random access point(TRAP) picture that starts a new coded video sequence (CVS). The chromaformat of the current picture, the bit depth of the luma samples of thecurrent picture, and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the currentpicture may be derived from a first sequence parameter set (SPS) that isactive for the current layer at the time of decoding the currentpicture.

A flag associated with the current picture indicating that random accessskipped leading (RASL) pictures should not be output can indicate thatthe current picture starts a new CVS. If the flag is enabled, the flagindicates that the current picture starts a new CVS; if the flag is notenabled, the flag indicates that the current picture does not start anew CVS. The flag can be the same as or similar to NoRaslOutputFlag. Forexample, NoRaslOutputFlag can be set equal to 1 to indicate that thecurrent picture starts a new CVS.

At block 503, the decoder 33 obtains the chroma format of the precedingpicture of the current layer that was decoded, the bit depth of chromasamples of the preceding picture, and the bit depth of luma samples ofthe preceding picture. The chroma format of the preceding picture, thebit depth of the luma samples of the preceding picture, and the bitdepth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture may be derived froma second SPS that was active for the current layer at the time ofdecoding the preceding picture.

In some embodiments, the respective values of the bit depth of the lumasamples of the current picture, the bit depth of the chroma samples ofthe current picture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the precedingpicture, and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the precedingpicture are specified as 8 bits minus the respective actual bit depthvalues. For example, the bit depth of the luma samples of the currentpicture is provided by the value of the syntax elementbit_depth_luma_minus8, where bit_depth_luma_minus8 represents 8 bitsminus the actual value of the bit depth of the luma samples of thecurrent picture.

At block 504, the decoder 33 determines the value of a first flagassociated with the current picture indicating whether pictures in adecoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output. The decoder 33 candetermine the value of the first flag based on: (1) the chroma format ofthe current picture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2)the bit depth of the chroma samples of the current picture and the bitdepth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bitdepth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the preceding picture. The first flag may be orsimilar to NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag explained above.

In certain embodiments, in response to determining that (4) the chromaformat of the current picture and the chroma format of the precedingpicture are different, (5) the bit depth of the luma samples of thecurrent picture and the bit depth of the luma samples of the precedingpicture are different, or (6) the bit depth of the chroma samples of thecurrent picture and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the precedingpicture are different, the decoder 33 sets the value of the first flagequal to 1. The value of 1 is provided as an example for illustrativepurposes, but the decoder 33 can use any value indicating that the firstflag is enabled, as appropriate. When the first flag is enabled, thepictures in the DPB are removed but not output.

In other embodiments, the decoder 33 decodes a syntax element associatedwith the current picture in the bitstream that indicates whetherpictures in the DPB should be output. In response to determining that(4) the chroma format of the current picture and the chroma format ofthe preceding picture are different, (5) the bit depth of the lumasamples of the current picture and the bit depth of the luma samples ofthe preceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth of the chromasamples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chroma samplesof the preceding picture are different, the decoder 33 sets the value ofthe first flag equal to the decoded value of the syntax element. Forexample, the syntax element is no_output_of_prior_pics_flag, and even ifthere are changes in the chroma format, the luma bit depth, and thechroma bit depth between the preceding picture and the current picture,the decoder 33 sets the value of the first flag to the decoded value ofno_output_of_prior_pics_flag.

In certain embodiments, the decoder 33 obtains the width of the currentpicture, the height of the current picture, and the number of picturestores associated with the current picture. The width of the currentpicture and the height of the current picture are specified in units ofluma samples, and the number of picture stores associated with thecurrent picture indicates the minimum DPB size required for decoding ofthe current layer in the coded video sequence starting from the currentpicture. The number of picture stores can be specified for a CVS andsignaled in the SPS. For each CVS and a particular layer, only one SPSmay be in effect. The decoder 33 also obtains the width of the precedingpicture, the height of the preceding picture, and the number of picturestores associated with the preceding picture. The width of the precedingpicture and the height of the preceding picture are specified in unitsof luma samples, and the number of picture stores associated with thepreceding picture indicates the minimum DPB size required for decodingof the current layer in the coded video sequence ending at the precedingpicture. The width of the current picture, the height of the currentpicture, and the number of picture stores associated with the currentpicture may be derived from a first sequence parameter set (SPS) that isactive for the current layer at the time of decoding the currentpicture. The width of the preceding picture, the height of the precedingpicture, and the number of picture stores associated with the precedingpicture may be derived from a second SPS that was active for the currentlayer at the time of decoding the preceding picture.

In one embodiment, in response to determining that (7) the width of thecurrent picture and the width of the preceding picture are different,(8) the height of the current picture and the height of the precedingpicture are different, or (9) the number of picture stores associatedwith the current picture and the number of picture stores associatedwith the preceding picture are different, the decoder 33 sets the valueof the first flag equal to 1.

In another embodiment, the decoder 33 decodes a syntax elementassociated with the current picture in the bitstream that indicateswhether pictures in the DPB should be output (e.g.,no_output_of_prior_pics_flag). In response to determining that (7) thewidth of the current picture and the width of the preceding picture aredifferent, (8) the height of the current picture and the height of thepreceding picture are different, or (9) the number of picture storesassociated with the current picture and the number of picture storesassociated with the preceding picture are different, the decoder 33 setsthe value of the first flag equal to a decoded value of the syntaxelement.

The process 500 ends at block 505. Blocks may be added and/or omitted inthe process 500, depending on the embodiment, and blocks of the process500 may be performed in different orders, depending on the embodiment.

Any features and/or embodiments described with respect to inference ofNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag in this disclosure may be implemented separatelyor in any combination thereof. For example, any features and/orembodiments described in connection with FIGS. 1-4 and other parts ofthe disclosure may be implemented in any combination with any featuresand/or embodiments described in connection with FIG. 5, and vice versa.

Information and signals disclosed herein may be represented using any ofa variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data,instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chipsthat may be referenced throughout the above description may berepresented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magneticfields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combinationthereof.

The various illustrative logical blocks, circuits, and algorithm stepsdescribed in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may beimplemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinationsof both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware andsoftware, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits,and steps have been described above generally in terms of theirfunctionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware orsoftware depends upon the particular application and design constraintsimposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement thedescribed functionality in varying ways for each particular application,but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing adeparture from the scope of the present invention.

The techniques described herein may be implemented in hardware,software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Such techniques may beimplemented in any of a variety of devices such as general purposescomputers, wireless communication device handsets, or integrated circuitdevices having multiple uses including application in wirelesscommunication device handsets and other devices. Any features describedas modules or components may be implemented together in an integratedlogic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices.If implemented in software, the techniques may be realized at least inpart by a computer-readable data storage medium comprising program codeincluding instructions that, when executed, performs one or more of themethods described above. The computer-readable data storage medium mayform part of a computer program product, which may include packagingmaterials. The computer-readable medium may comprise memory or datastorage media, such as random access memory (RAM) such as synchronousdynamic random access memory (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM),non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EEPROM), FLASH memory, magnetic oroptical data storage media, and the like. The techniques additionally,or alternatively, may be realized at least in part by acomputer-readable communication medium that carries or communicatesprogram code in the form of instructions or data structures and that canbe accessed, read, and/or executed by a computer, such as propagatedsignals or waves.

The program code may be executed by a processor, which may include oneor more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors(DSPs), general purpose microprocessors, an application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), orother equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Such aprocessor may be configured to perform any of the techniques describedin this disclosure. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor;but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration. Accordingly, the term “processor,” as used herein mayrefer to any of the foregoing structure, any combination of theforegoing structure, or any other structure or apparatus suitable forimplementation of the techniques described herein. In addition, in someaspects, the functionality described herein may be provided withindedicated software modules or hardware modules configured for encodingand decoding, or incorporated in a combined video encoder-decoder(CODEC). Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or morecircuits or logic elements.

The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented in a wide varietyof devices or apparatuses, including a wireless handset, an integratedcircuit (IC) or a set of ICs (e.g., a chip set). Various components,modules, or units are described in this disclosure to emphasizefunctional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosedtechniques, but do not necessarily require realization by differenthardware units. Rather, as described above, various units may becombined in a codec hardware unit or provided by a collection ofinter-operative hardware units, including one or more processors asdescribed above, in conjunction with suitable software and/or firmware.

Various embodiments of the disclosure have been described. These andother embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for coding video information, theapparatus comprising: a memory configured to store informationassociated with a video bitstream including one or more layers, each ofthe one or more layers comprising a combination of one or more of: framerate, spatial resolution, or viewpoint, the one or more layers includinga current layer; and a hardware processor operationally coupled to thememory and configured to: obtain at least one parameter of a currentpicture of the current layer to be decoded, the at least one parameterof the current picture comprising at least one of a chroma format of thecurrent picture, a bit depth of luma samples of the current picture, ora bit depth of chroma samples of the current picture, wherein thecurrent picture is an intra random access point (IRAP) picture thatstarts a new coded video sequence (CVS); obtain at least one parameterof a preceding picture of the current layer that was decoded, the atleast one parameter of the preceding picture comprising at least one ofa chroma format of the preceding picture, a bit depth of luma samples ofthe preceding picture, or a bit depth of chroma samples of the precedingpicture; and determine a value of a first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated with the current picture based oncomparing the at least one parameter of the current picture of thecurrent layer to the corresponding at least one parameter of thepreceding picture of the current layer, the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag indicating whether previously decoded picturesin a decoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output, the previouslydecoded pictures decoded from the one or more layers, wherein thedetermination of the value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagis based on comparing at least one of: (1) the chroma format of thecurrent picture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) thebit depth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depthof the luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the processor is further configured, in response to adetermination that (4) the chroma format of the current picture and thechroma format of the preceding picture are different, (5) the bit depthof the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the lumasamples of the preceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture are different, to set the valueof the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:decode a syntax element in a bitstream that indicates whether picturesin the DPB should be output, wherein the syntax element is associatedwith the current picture; and in response to a determination that (4)the chroma format of the current picture and the chroma format of thepreceding picture are different, (5) the bit depth of the luma samplesof the current picture and the bit depth of the luma samples of thepreceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth of the chromasamples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chroma samplesof the preceding picture are different, set the value of the firstvariable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to a decoded value of the syntaxelement.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to: derive the chroma format of the current picture, the bitdepth of the luma samples of the current picture, and the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture from a first sequenceparameter set (SPS) that is active for the current layer at the time ofdecoding the current picture; and derive the chroma format of thepreceding picture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the precedingpicture, and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the precedingpicture from a second SPS that was active for the current layer at thetime of decoding the preceding picture.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein respective values of the bit depth of the luma samples of thecurrent picture, the bit depth of the chroma samples of the currentpicture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the preceding picture, andthe bit depth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture arespecified as respective actual bit depth values minus
 8. 6. Theapparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:obtain a width of the current picture, a height of the current picture,and a number of picture stores associated with the current picture,wherein the width of the current picture and the height of the currentpicture are specified in units of luma samples, and the number ofpicture stores associated with the current picture indicates a minimumDPB size required for decoding of the current layer in the coded videosequence starting from the current picture; and obtain a width of thepreceding picture, a height of the preceding picture, and a number ofpicture stores associated with the preceding picture, wherein the widthof the preceding picture and the height of the preceding picture arespecified in units of luma samples, and the number of picture storesassociated with the preceding picture indicates a minimum DPB sizerequired for decoding of the current layer in a coded video sequenceending at the preceding picture.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, whereinthe processor is further configured to, in response to a determinationthat (7) the width of the current picture and the width of the precedingpicture are different, (8) the height of the current picture and theheight of the preceding picture are different, or (9) the number ofpicture stores associated with the current picture and the number ofpicture stores associated with the preceding picture are different, setthe value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 8.The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configuredto: decode a syntax element in a bitstream that indicates whetherpictures in the DPB should be output, wherein the syntax element isassociated with the current picture; and in response to a determinationthat (7) the width of the current picture and the width of the precedingpicture are different, (8) the height of the current picture and theheight of the preceding picture are different, or (9) the number ofpicture stores associated with the current picture and the number ofpicture stores associated with the preceding picture are different, setthe value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to adecoded value of the syntax element.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein: the width of the current picture, the height of the currentpicture, and the number of picture stores associated with the currentpicture are derived from a first sequence parameter set (SPS) that isactive for the current layer at the time of decoding the currentpicture; and the width of the preceding picture, the height of thepreceding picture, and the number of picture stores associated with thepreceding picture are derived from a second SPS that was active for thecurrent layer at the time of decoding the preceding picture.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein a variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagassociated with the current picture indicating that random accessskipped leading (RASL) pictures should not be output is enabled toindicate that the TRAP picture starts the new CVS.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated withthe current picture indicating that random access skipped leading (RASL)pictures should not be output is NoRaslOutputFlag.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of; a desktopcomputer, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, aset-top box, a telephone handset, a smart phone, a smart pad, atelevision, a camera, a display device, a digital media player, a videogaming console, and a video streaming device.
 13. A method of decodingvideo information, the method comprising: storing information associatedwith a video bitstream including one or more layers, each of the one ormore layers comprising a combination of one or more of: frame rate,spatial resolution, or viewpoint, the one or more layers including acurrent layer; obtaining at least one parameter of a current picture ofthe current layer to be decoded, the at least one parameter of thecurrent picture comprising at least one of a chroma format of thecurrent picture, a bit depth of luma samples of the current picture, ora bit depth of chroma samples of the current picture, wherein thecurrent picture is an intra random access point (IRAP) picture thatstarts a new coded video sequence (CVS); obtaining at least oneparameter of a preceding picture of the current layer that was decoded,the at least one parameter of the preceding picture comprising at leastone of a chroma format of the preceding picture, a bit depth of lumasamples of the preceding picture, or a bit depth of chroma samples ofthe preceding picture; and determining a value of a first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated with the current picture based oncomparing the at least one parameter of the current picture of thecurrent layer to the corresponding at least one parameter of thepreceding picture of the current layer, the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag indicating whether previously decoded picturesin a decoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output, the previouslydecoded pictures decoded from the one or more layers, wherein thedetermination of the value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagis based on comparing at least one of: (1) the chroma format of thecurrent picture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) thebit depth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depthof the luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein said determining the value of the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag comprises: in response to determining that (4)the chroma format of the current picture and the chroma format of thepreceding picture are different, (5) the bit depth of the luma samplesof the current picture and the bit depth of the luma samples of thepreceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth of the chromasamples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chroma samplesof the preceding picture are different: setting the value of the firstvariable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 15. The method of claim 13,further comprising: decoding a syntax element in a bitstream thatindicates whether pictures in the DFB should be output, wherein thesyntax element is associated with the current picture; and determiningthe value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag by: in responseto determining that (4) the chroma format of the current picture and thechroma format of the preceding picture are different, (5) the bit depthof the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the lumasamples of the preceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture are different: setting the valueof the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to a decoded valueof the syntax element.
 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:deriving the chroma format of the current picture, the bit depth of theluma samples of the current picture, and the bit depth of the chromasamples of the current picture from a first sequence parameter set (SPS)that is active for the current layer at the time of decoding the currentpicture; and deriving the chroma format of the preceding picture, thebit depth of the luma samples of the preceding picture, and the bitdepth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture from a second SPSthat was active for the current layer at the time of decoding thepreceding picture.
 17. The method of claim 13, further comprisingspecifying respective values of the bit depth of the luma samples of thecurrent picture, the bit depth of the chroma samples of the currentpicture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the preceding picture, andthe bit depth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture asrespective actual bit depth values minus
 8. 18. The method of claim 14,further comprising: obtaining a width of the current picture, a heightof the current picture, and a number of picture stores associated withthe current picture, wherein the width of the current picture and theheight of the current picture are specified in units of luma samples,and the number of picture stores associated with the current pictureindicates a minimum DPB size required for decoding of the current layerin the coded video sequence starting from the current picture; andobtaining a width of the preceding picture, a height of the precedingpicture, and a number of picture stores associated with the precedingpicture, wherein the width of the preceding picture and the height ofthe preceding picture are specified in units of luma samples, and thenumber of picture stores associated with the preceding picture indicatesa minimum DPB size required for decoding of the current layer in a codedvideo sequence ending at the preceding picture.
 19. The method of claim18, wherein said determining the value of the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag comprises: in response to determining that (7)the width of the current picture and the width of the preceding pictureare different, (8) the height of the current picture and the height ofthe preceding picture are different, or (9) the number of picture storesassociated with the current picture and the number of picture storesassociated with the preceding picture are different: setting the valueof the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 20. The methodof claim 18, further comprising: decoding a syntax element in abitstream that indicates whether pictures in the DFB should be output,wherein the syntax element is associated with the current picture; anddetermining the value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag by:in response to determining that (7) the width of the current picture andthe width of the preceding picture are different, (8) the height of thecurrent picture and the height of the preceding picture are different,or (9) the number of picture stores associated with the current pictureand the number of picture stores associated with the preceding pictureare different: setting the value of the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to a decoded value of the syntax element.21. The method of claim 18, further comprising: deriving the width ofthe current picture, the height of the current picture, and the numberof picture stores associated with the current picture from a firstsequence parameter set (SPS) that is active for the current layer at thetime of decoding the current picture; and deriving the width of thepreceding picture, the height of the preceding picture, and the numberof picture stores associated with the preceding picture from a secondSPS that was active for the current layer at the time of decoding thepreceding picture.
 22. A non-transitory computer readable mediumcomprising instructions that when executed on a processor comprisingcomputer hardware cause the processor to: store information associatedwith a video bitstream including one or more layers, each of the one ormore layers comprising a combination of one or more of: frame rate,spatial resolution, or viewpoint, the one or more layers including acurrent layer; obtain at least one parameter of a current picture of thecurrent layer to be decoded, the at least one parameter of the currentpicture comprising at least one of a chroma format of the currentpicture, a bit depth of luma samples of the current picture, or a bitdepth of chroma samples of the current picture, wherein the currentpicture is an intra random access point (IRAP) picture that starts a newcoded video sequence (CVS); obtain at least one parameter of a precedingpicture of the current layer that was decoded, the at least oneparameter of the preceding picture comprising at least one of a chromaformat of the preceding picture, a bit depth of luma samples of thepreceding picture, or a bit depth of chroma samples of the precedingpicture; and determine a value of a first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated with the current picture based oncomparing the at least one parameter of the current picture of thecurrent layer to the corresponding at least one parameter of thepreceding picture of the current layer, the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag indicating whether previously decoded picturesin a decoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output, the previouslydecoded pictures decoded from the one or more layers, wherein thedetermination of the value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagis based on comparing at least one of: (1) the chroma format of thecurrent picture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) thebit depth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depthof the luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture.
 23. The computer readablemedium of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processorto, in response to determining that (4) the chroma format of the currentpicture and the chroma format of the preceding picture are different,(5) the bit depth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bitdepth of the luma samples of the preceding picture are different, or (6)the bit depth of the chroma samples of the current picture and the bitdepth of the chroma samples of the preceding picture are different, setthe value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 24.The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein: the chroma format ofthe current picture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the currentpicture, and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the current pictureare derived from a first sequence parameter set (SPS) that is active forthe current layer at the time of decoding the current picture; and thechroma format of the preceding picture, the bit depth of the lumasamples of the preceding picture, and the bit depth of the chromasamples of the preceding picture from a second SPS that was active forthe current layer at the time of decoding the preceding picture.
 25. Anapparatus for decoding video information, the apparatus comprising:means for storing information associated with a video bitstreamincluding one or more layers, each of the one or more layers comprisinga combination of one or more of: frame rate, spatial resolution, orviewpoint, the one or more layers including a current layer; means forobtaining at least one parameter of a current picture of the currentlayer to be decoded, the at least one parameter of the current picturecomprising at least one of a chroma format of the current picture, a bitdepth of luma samples of the current picture, or a bit depth of chromasamples of the current picture, wherein the current picture is an intrarandom access point (IRAP) picture that starts a new coded videosequence (CVS); means for obtaining at least one parameter of apreceding picture of the current layer that was decoded, the at leastone parameter of the preceding picture comprising at least one of achroma format of the preceding picture, a bit depth of luma samples ofthe preceding picture, or a bit depth of chroma samples of the precedingpicture; and means for determining a value of a first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag associated with the current picture based oncomparing the at least one parameter of the current picture of thecurrent layer to the corresponding at least one parameter of thepreceding picture of the current layer, the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag indicating whether previously decoded picturesin a decoded picture buffer (DPB) should be output, the previouslydecoded pictures decoded from the one or more layers, wherein thedetermination of the value of the first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlagis based on at least one of: (1) the chroma format of the currentpicture and the chroma format of the preceding picture, (2) the bitdepth of the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth ofthe luma samples of the preceding picture, or (3) the bit depth of thechroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the chromasamples of the preceding picture.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25; whereinthe means for determining the value of the first variableNoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag is further configured to in response todetermining that (4) the chroma format of the current picture and thechroma format of the preceding picture are different, (5) the bit depthof the luma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of the lumasamples of the preceding picture are different, or (6) the bit depth ofthe chroma samples of the current picture and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture are different, set the value ofthe first variable NoOutputOfPriorPicsFlag equal to
 1. 27. The apparatusof claim 25, further comprising: means for determining the chroma formatof the current picture, the bit depth of the luma samples of the currentpicture, and the bit depth of the chroma samples of the current picturefrom a first sequence parameter set (SPS) that is active for the currentlayer at the time of decoding the current picture; and means fordetermining the chroma format of the preceding picture, the bit depth ofthe luma samples of the preceding picture, and the bit depth of thechroma samples of the preceding picture from a second SPS that wasactive for the current layer at the time of decoding the precedingpicture.